Italian Football: Lentini's snappiest of braces

SILVIO BERLUSCONI'S policy of paying out billions of lire for the best talent available was vindicated yet again yesterday when Gianluigi Lentini ( pounds 13m) and Jean-Pierre Papin ( pounds 10m) both scored twice to lead Milan's untouchables to a 4-0 victory over Sampdoria.

Both braces were of the highest order as Milan swept magisterially to their 56th consecutive game without loss. Lentini, the most expensive player in history, gave Milan an early lead by redirecting Daniele Massaro's shot. Papin opened his account with a diving header from Lentini's cross.

The Frenchman returned the favour, setting up Lentini for Milan's third after 70 minutes. Papin's second, arguably the best of the day, was an individual effort, the former Marseille man taking his marker Des Walker one way before transfering the ball on to his right foot and shooting in via a post.

While Milan were ruling at the San Siro their co-tenants, second- placed Internazionale, were losing ground behind them. Inter slipped up in Florence, where Daniele Carnasciali threaded in a shot three minutes into injury time to earn Fiorentina a 2-2 draw.

ITALIAN LEAGUE: Brescia 0 Parma 1 (Minotti 75); Cagliari 2 (Cappioli 34, Oliveira 69) Atalanta 1 (Perrone 83); Fiorentina 2 (Batistuta 7, Carnasciali 90) Internazionale 2 (Sosa 13, 70); Genoa 2 (Padovano 23, Skuhravy 24) Lazio 3 (Riedle 26, 85, Signori pen 69); Milan 4 (Lentini 7, 70, Papin 27, 90) Sampdoria 0; Napoli 0 Ancona 0; Roma 2 (Giannini 56, Hassler 71) Juventus 1 (Baggio 28); Torino 3 (Aguilera 5, Sordo 19, Casagrande 51) Pescara 1 (Nobile 23); Udinese 3 (Balbo pen 46, 48, Desideri 89) Foggia 2 (Seno 37, Kolyvanov 53).

----------------------------------------------------------------- P W D L F A Pts ----------------------------------------------------------------- Milan 21 16 5 0 49 17 37 Internazionale 21 10 7 4 36 27 27 Lazio 21 9 7 5 42 31 25 Torino 21 7 10 4 25 17 24 Atalanta 21 10 4 7 26 27 24 Juventus 21 8 7 6 35 27 23 Sampdoria 21 8 7 6 35 33 23 Cagliari 21 9 5 7 21 20 23 Roma 21 7 7 7 25 21 21 Parma 21 8 5 8 23 24 21 Udinese 21 8 3 10 30 30 19 Napoli 21 7 5 9 29 30 19 Fiorentina 21 5 8 8 34 36 18 Foggia 21 6 6 9 25 36 18 Brescia 21 5 6 10 18 28 16 Genoa 21 4 8 9 28 42 16 Ancona 21 5 3 13 30 47 13 Pescara 21 4 3 14 28 46 11 -----------------------------------------------------------------