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Juventus routed Olympiakos 7-0
( 2003-12-11 10:07) (Agencies)

Juventus ran riot in Turin to send Olympiakos back to Athens with a seven-goal hiding to explain to their fans.

The Italians were in scintillating form, David Trezeguet scoring twice and possibly guilty of missing three more gilt-edged chances for a result that would not have flattered last season`s finalists.

All eyes will now be on Friday`s draw for the knockout stage with Juve having clinched top spot in the group, meaning they will avoid the likes of AC Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Chelsea in the second round.

The Italians went into the game needing only a point to win the group despite a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Galatasaray last week in Germany.

Olympiakos travelled to the Stadio Delle Alpi knowing that they needed a win to have any chance of qualifying for the UEFA Cup in third place.

With Edgar Davids suspended, Lippi replaced Marco Di Vaio and Ciro Ferrara with Paolo Montero, Alessandro Birindelii and Trezeguet.

The Greek league leaders made four changes, Pantelis Kafes, Dimitris Eleftheropoulos, Athansios Kostoulas and Predrag Djordjevic all introduced in favour of Thefoanis Katergiannakis, Paraskevas Antzas, Ieroklis Stoltidis and Georgios Georgiadis.

Djordjevic had the best chance of the opening 10 minutes, forcing a smart save out of Juve goalkeeper Antonio Chimenti as the Greeks took the game to their hosts.

However, Juve awoke from their slumber four minutes later when Enzo Maresca was released on the left, he made it to the by-line before cutting back to French international striker Trezeguet to calmly tuck in his 20th Champions League goal.

It got better five minutes later when the lively Maresca saw his shot deflect to Trezeguet`s strike partner Fabrizio Miccoli who duly despatched it into the far corner.

The floodgates opened after 24 minutes as the advantage was extended when Miccoli turned provider, handing Trezeguet his second of the game from 10 yards out.

The game was effectively over three minutes later as Maresca was rewarded for all his endeavour with the fourth.

Miccoli found himself in the clear with only keeper Eleftheropoulos to beat but his shot was blocked back out to Maresca who skilfully drilled it back goalwards and into the net.

After three consecutive defeats, Lippi`s side were answering their critics in the best possible way whilst the Greek champions were on their way to their sixth defeat on Italian soil in nine visits.

Marcelo Zayaleta missed the chance to make it 5-0 in the 39th minute when he headed wide as Djordjevic missed his opportunity to reduce the deficit.

The fifth goal was almost delivered along with Trezeguet`s hat-trick just two minutes after the restart but Eleftheropoulos got a hand to his header.

Uruguayan striker Nery Alberto Castillo should have scored for the visitors soon after, latching on to Igor Tudor`s poor back pass and rounding Chimenti but his shot under pressure flew high over the bar.

Trezeguet should have completed his treble as he lunged for Zayaleta`s cross but was a studs length away from converting and in the 56th minute his night was ended as he again fluffed a hat-trick.

Miccoli was released between a static Olympiakos back-line after 58 minutes before rounding the keeper and firing the ball to the far post. His shot came back off the woodwork and rolled across the line to the other post before falling to Trezeguet six yards out but he scuffed his attempt wide of the right post before colliding with Eleftheropoulos and being stretchered off, MarcoDi Vaio being brought on up front.

Within three minutes it was five for Juve as Miccoli fed Di Vaio, who hit the ball first-time, left-footed after wasting his first opportunity seconds earlier.

Another substitution saw Miccoli replaced after a superb performance by Alessandro Del Piero and the Italian legend took less than a minute to make it 6-0 with his first touch, Di Vaio finding him unmarked in the box before he steadied himself and then smashed the ball home.

Del Piero could have scored a second in the 69th minute with a long-range shot that had Eleftheropoulos diving full-stretch to save.

Juve set a new Champions League record for a winning margin in the competition proper when Zayaleta rose highest to head home from Maresca`s corner from the left after 79 minutes.

 
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