PARIS, Sept 25: Italian sides, keen to end a six-year barren spell in the Champions League, threw down the gauntlet to rampant Spain Tuesday as Juventus and AC Milan went goal-crazy in most un-Italian manner.

Juve are nicknamed the Old Lady but they looked more than sprightly in crushing an outclassed Dynamo Kiev 5-0 in Turin while Milan shocked a Deportivo La Coruna side good enough to win in Munich a week earlier, thrashing the shellshocked Spaniards 4-0 away.

Juventus were the last Italian side to hold the European Cup aloft in 1996, since when Real Madrid have dominated the scene with three titles, the others going to Manchester United and German pair Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, while other Spanish sides have consistently performed well.

United underlined their own claims with a 2-1 win in Group F at last season’s surprise finalists Bayer Leverkusen, the team who beat them along the way.

It was United’s first win in Germany for 37 years.

Two first-half goals from Ruud van Nistelrooy ensured United added to last week’s home success over Maccabi Haifa — though the Dutchman had to go off later with a tight hamstring.

Dimitar Berbatov netted a consolation for Bayer but, a spell of second half pressure aside, they are nothing like the side which made it to lasy year’s final having been shorn of Michael Ballack and Ze Roberto, who left for Bayern Munich in the summer.

United gained a further boost as Maccabi Haifa beat Leverkusen’s opening-day conquerors Olympiakos 3-0 with a hat-trick from Nigerain teenager Yakubu Ayegbeni, including one from the spot.

While United gave English fans some cheer Newcastle United flopped again, losing 1-0 at home to Feyenoord, Chilean midfielder Sebastian Pardo volleying in a beauty after just four minutes.

Newcastle lost their Group F opener in Kiev last week and on Tuesday theyh missed what chances they eked out.

With a trip to this season’s Juventus vintage to come Bobby Robson’s side look out for the count already.

But overall the night belonged to Italy and Inter Milan can wrap up an Italian hat trick if they can beat Ajax on Wednesday in Group D.

Classy Juve mercilessly fried Kiev for 90 minutes while Milan flattened Deportivo, who were almost unrecognisable from the side who had played so well to win in Munich.

Both performances were awesome, Juve running riot at the Delle Alpi stadium with hapless Dynamo goalkeeper Vitaliy Reva the busiest player on the field as shots rained in from all angles.

He might have been grateful that Juve coach Marcello Lippi elected to give French striker David Trezeguet, 24 league goals last season, only an 18-minute run out as he reappeared from two months on the sidelines following a knee injury.

The man he replaced, Marco Di Vaio, had done his worst by then, as the 1996 champions opened the scoring through his header in the 13th minute.

Alessandro Del Piero added a second 14 minutes later, latching onto a cross from Mauro Camoranesi.

Six minutes after the break Di Vaio headed in his second and Juve’s third before Dutch international Edgar Davids weighed in with an individual strike after a fine run.

Czech international Pavel Nedved completed the demolition job with 12 minutes remaining.

Juve now lead Feyenoord in the group on goal difference with both clubs on four points.

Not to be outdone, Milan cruised home in Deportivo’s Riazor stadium with Clarence Seedorf netting their opener before Filippo Inzaghi kept on ploughing his rich vein of current form with an impeccable hat trick to take him to eight goals in four matches this season.

The injured Andrei Shevchenko was scarcely missed as Milan recalled Brazilian international Rivaldo while Inzaghi led the Spanish defence a merry dance, finishing with aplomb after twice being fed by Rui Costa and once by Rivaldo.

There was better news for Spain in Group H as Dutch dangerman Patrick Kluivert and Luis Enrique gave Barcelona a 2-0 win at Galatasaray of Turkey to roar to the head of the group.

Bruges and Lokomotiv Moscow parted goalless in the other group encounter.

Bayern Munich have yet to hit form, meanwhile, only managing to draw 1-1 in France against Lens, whose John Utaka headed a late equaliser after Thomas Linke’s opener for Bayern had appeared to be enough for full points.

The Bavarian giants now have a miserly one point from two matches and following Milan’s superb start of six points in two matches they will be hard pressed to keep pace with Deportivo anxious to get over their Milanese nightmare.

Tuesday’s collated results:

GROUP E