Atalanta hammer Cesena to reach Coppa Italia quarters

Atalanta cruised into the quarter-finals of the Italian Cup on Wednesday after the Serie A leaders thumped second-tier outfit Cesena 6-1.

Gian Piero Gasperini's side will face Bologna in the last eight thanks to a typically barnstorming performance in Bergamo in which the hosts were three goals to the good within half an hour.

Charles De Ketelaere and Lazar Samardzic both struck braces after Davide Zappacosta opened the scoring with four minutes on the clock, with Marco Brescianini netting Atalanta's fifth in the 54th minute.

Atalanta are two points ahead of Napoli at the top of Serie A and host Empoli on Sunday.

Cesena, who scored through Joseph Ceesay in the final minute, return to their promotion push with Michele Mignani's team currently sitting fifth and in Serie B's play-off positions. 

The away side are 12 points away from the automatic promotion spots and visit Juve Stabia on Sunday.

Later, Claudio Ranieri's struggling Roma take on another Serie B side in Sampdoria with both teams battling for the chance to take on AC Milan in the quarters.