Gignac hits hat-trick in Marseille record rout

France striker Andre-Pierre Gignac hit a hat-trick as Marseille recorded the biggest ever Champions League away win on Wednesday in a 7-0 demolition of Group F whipping boys Zilina.

His hat-trick, courtesy of his knee, left foot and head, plus a brace from Lucho Gonzalez and one apiece from Loic Remy and Argentinian veteran Gabriel Heinze saw the French champions to an emphatic win in Slovakia.

It was the ideal boost ahead of Sunday’s high-octane league clash with fierce rivals Paris Saint-Germain and also sets up a potentially decisive match with Spartak Moscow on November 23 in the battle for second place.

Marseille are equal with Spartak on six points after the Russians were beaten 4-1 by Chelsea on Wednesday.

Gignac had entered the match under a bit of pressure after a return of just one goal since his big-money move from Toulouse in the summer.

However, he started setting the record straight in the 11th minute when he got his knee to Benoit Cheyrou’s free-kick to send the ball flying through a crowd of players and past Martin Dubravka in the Zilina goal.

Gignac grabbed his second in the 21st minute as he ran onto Charles Kabore’s beautifully weighted pass, nicked the ball away from a defender and slotted it left-footed past Dubravka.

The game was all but over three minutes later as Heinze rose unmarked to meet Cheyrou’s corner and direct a powerful header over the unfortunate Dubravka into the far corner.

Remy was next to get on the scoresheet in the 36th minute, as two Zilina defenders failed to clear Cheyrou’s superb ball into the box and the French international was on hand to tuck it past Dubravka.

Marseille did not let up in the second half as Lucho got a double, either side of Gignac completing his hat-trick with a header from Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross.