ROME - Alessandro Del Piero scored three as Juventus beat Piacenza 4-0 to go back to the top of Italy's second division Serie B on Sunday.

Juventus' Alessandro Del Piero, right, is celebrated after he scored by his teammates Federico Balzaretti, center and Alan Boumsong of Camerun during an Italian second division soccer match between Juventus and Piacenza in Turin, Italy, Sunday, March 4 2007. [AP]

The striker's hat-trick - his second in two weeks after scoring three times in a 5-0 victory over Crotone last month - gave Juventus 49 points from 24 games, two points ahead of Napoli despite their nine point-penalty for match-fixing.

David Trezeguet got the opening goal in the first minute with a shot from the edge of the area, but Del Piero came alive early in the second half, firing home his first goal from the penalty spot after being brought down by goalkeeper Ferdinando Coppola.

He curled in his second with a free kick midway through the half then jinked round two defenders to complete his hat-trick in stoppage time.

Piacenza played the final 20 minutes of the match with 10 men after defender Hugo Campagnaro was sent off for a second bookable offence.