Signori's hat-trick humiliates Milan

EUROPEAN FOOTBALL

Paul Gascoigne may be nearly fit again, but on yesterday's form Lazio can do without their England midfielder. They humbled Milan 4-0 in Rome, with Giuseppe Signori hitting a hat-trick.

Pierluigi Casiraghi opened the scoring in the first half, but the real drama came after the break. Signori knocked in his first after Roberto Di Matteo had hit the bar and then Milan's captain, Paolo Maldini, was sent off for hauling down Casiraghi. Signori struck from the penalty spot before adding a late fourth.

Milan, the Serie A champions, are now 15 points adrift of the leaders, Juventus, after their heaviest defeat since Fabio Capello became coach at the San Siro in 1991. Juventus widened their advantage to six points thanks to Fabrizio Ravanelli, who hit a late winner against Napoli. Second-placed Parma were defeated at Cagliari, the Sardinians scoring twice in the first 15 minutes.

Internazionale, whose new president, Massimo Moratti, is reportedly keen to sign Manchester United's Eric Cantona, beat Brescia 1-0, while the American defender, Alexi Lalas, scored his second Serie A goal in Padova's 4-2 win over Torino.

Tony Cascarino, the Republic of Ireland striker, netted Marseille's first goal in a 2-0 win over Beauvais that earned the former European champions a place in the French Cup quarter-finals. There they will meet either their Second Division rivals, Chteauroux, or Third Division Poitiers, so further progress is likely.

In Spain, Hristo Stoichkov scored one and made two as Barcelona beat their city rivals, Espaol, 3-0 on Saturday.