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Fiorentina thrashed 10-man Roma 4-1 at the Stadio Artemio Franchi to move into fourth place in Serie A.

An Alberto Gilardino brace was sandwiched between goals by Juan Manuel Vargas and Massimo Gobbi while Roma midfielder David Pizarro received his marching orders for two bookable offences.

Julio Baptista's excellent late strike was nothing more than a consolation for Roma, whose Champions League hopes were delivered a major blow by the defeat.

Fiorentina, on the other hand, leapfrogged Genoa into Italy's final Champions League berth, although the Griffone have a game in hand and play relegation-threatened Bologna on Sunday.

Vargas opened the scoring in just the sixth minute with a fine effort from 25 yards that left Roma keeper Artur clutching at thin air.

But Roma responded well to going a goal behind, and Francesco Totti's influence on the game gradually increased as the first half wore on.

The Giallorossi skipper nearly got on the end of Pizarro's centre on 13 minutes before Rodrigo Taddei almost pulled the visitors back onto level terms with a low drive just wide of the post moments later.

Taddei again threatened Sebastien Frey's goal on 21 minutes, the Brazilian having been teed up by a free-kick taken short, but his effort whistled inches the wrong side of the upright.

Christian Panucci and Matteo Brighi both had further chances to get Roma on the scoreheet before the half-time whistle sounded but crucially the visitors failed to make a breakthrough at 1-0 down.

At the other end, Montenegro striker Stevan Jovetic looked impressive, the 19-year-old causing a number of problems for the visitors over the course of the 90 minutes.

The youngster's twinkle toes appeared to have outfoxed the Roma defence in the 23rd minutes, only for a perfectly-timed Daniele De Rossi sliding challenge to deny him at the last.

And it was Jovetic who was the architect of the Viola's second, starting off the move that ended with Franco Semioli centring for Gilardino's first of the night - a glancing header into the far corner.

Again, Roma refused to lie down, and Marco Cassetti hit the crossbar with a shot which looped up off the ground before cannoning back off the woodwork on 58 minutes.

But just moments later, the match turned inextricably in Fiorentina's favour as Pizarro was dismissed for a second yellow card.

Fiorentina took full advantage of their man advantage and two goals in six minutes soon settled matters.

The first came on 67 minutes, Gilardino finishing with aplomb after holding off the attentions of Cassetti, before the icing on the cake was applied by substitute Gobbi, who pounced on a 73rd minute fumble by Artur.

Daniele De Rossi attempted to salvage some pride for Roma with a superb scissor kick which was cleared off the line five minutes later before Baptista netted with a fine individual strike.

But neither moment will have appeased Roma coach Luciano Spallettie, whose side is now in real danger of ending the season with nothing.

Earlier on Saturday mid-table Udinese won 2-1 at 16th-placed Chievo thanks to midfielder Gaetano D'Agostino's double.

Internazioanle will aim to close in on the title with victory at Napoli on Sunday while Juventus and Milan, 10 points behind in joint second, play Reggina and Palermo respectively.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport