AS Roma’s Antonio Cassano scores as teammate Walter Samuel (right) and Siena defender Leandro Cufre look on during their Serie A match in Rome on Sunday. (Reuters)

Milan: Antonio Cassano scored a hattrick as AS Roma crushed Siena 6-0 in Serie A on Sunday to keep within five points of leaders AC Milan. Milan came back from two goals down to beat city rivals Inter 3-2 in a thrilling derby on Saturday.

A second-half goal from Mark Iuliano gave champions Juventus a 1-0 win at Bologna. Milan lead on 55 points, with Roma on 50 and third-placed Juventus a further point behind. Fourth-placed Lazio were held to a goalless draw away to 10-man Chievo while Perugia picked up their first win of the season with a 2-1 victory at Reggina.

The outcome at the Olympic stadium was never in doubt after Cassano’s 19th minute opener. The striker headed home from close range and then added a second five minutes later. The game was all over in the 31st minute when Cassano set up Brazilian Mancini for a straightforward finish.

Francesco Totti had a penalty saved in the 56th minute but then the Roma captain provided the pass that allowed Cassano to complete his hattrick as Roma went 4-0 up. Siena had their Brazilian Juarez dismissed in the 76th minute before substitute Marco Delvecchio and then Totti completed the rout.

In Spain, Athletic Bilbao lost further ground in the race for the fourth Champions League qualifying place when they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Real Betis on Sunday. Betis took the lead with a brilliant long-range strike from Benjamin eight minutes into the second half, but the home side replied five minutes later with a Santi Ezquerro header.

Barcelona’s fifth successive league victory kept them in fourth place with 43 points, with Bilbao fifth on 38 and Atletico Madrid sixth a point further back. Villarreal slipped further back in the race for Uefa Cup qualification when they were beaten 1-4 at Real Zaragoza on Sunday.

Zaragoza moved into a 2-0 lead with goals from Leonardo Ponzio and Cani and Villarreal’s fate was sealed when Quique Alvarez was sent off after 24 minutes. Dani got the third six minutes before halftime.

In England, Tottenham Hotspur threw away a 3-1 lead in an extraordinary 4-4 draw with ten-man Leicester City on Sunday while Birmingham City also recovered from two goals down to draw 2-2 at local rivals Aston Villa.

Jermain Defoe scored his second goal of the game two minutes from time at White Hart Lane to avert another disastrous defeat for Spurs by a battling Leicester side that recovered from 3-1 down to lead 4-3 at one stage.

At Villa Park, Stern John scored an equaliser in the fourth minute of stoppage time to give Birmingham a dramatic draw against Villa. The eight-goal tally at White Hart Lane meant Spurs’ last four games have featured a remarkable 28 goals.

The way they tossed away their lead mirrored their extraordinary 4-3 FA Cup defeat at home by 10-man Manchester City on February 4 in which they led 3-0.