A hat-trick from Josip Ilicic that included a sensational free-kick inspired Atalanta to an astonishing 7-0 away win over Torino, their biggest ever Serie A triumph.

Atalanta, who will play Valencia in the Champions League last 16, boosted their hopes of achieving another top-four finish with a stunning victory on Saturday.

Ilicic, who netted a remarkable free-kick from near the halfway line, scored his fourth Serie A hat-trick since the start of 2018, with only Lionel Messi (7) and Sergio Aguero (6) boasting better records over that span in the top five European leagues.

Atalanta's first top-flight win by a seven-goal margin - and Torino's largest such home defeat - saw Robin Gosens follow up Ilicic's close-range opener with a fine volley.

Duvan Zapata scored a penalty on the stroke of half-time before Ilicic caught out home goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu with an audacious set-piece from next to the centre circle after 53 minutes.

He completed his hat-trick a minute later and Il Toro's humiliation was sealed when substitute Luis Muriel scored a quickfire late double, one of his efforts coming from the penalty spot.

Armando Izzo was sent off for a second bookable offence when Torino were five goals down, and they ended up with nine men after Sasa Lukic got a straight red for a foul on Alejandro Gomez, by which point the visitors had already scored seven.

Gian Piero Gasperini's men are fifth in the table, level on points with Roma above them, with Torino down in 10th position.

Atalanta were third in Serie A last season and finished second to Manchester City in Champions League Group C despite losing their first three matches in the competition.