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| AC Milan’s Italian defender Alessio Romagnoli (C-L with throphy), AC Milan’s Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Top R), AC Milan’s French forward Olivier Giroud (Bottom R) and AC Milan’s players celebrate with the winner’s trophy after AC Milan won the Italian Serie A football match between Sassuolo and AC Milan, securing the “Scudetto” championship on May 22, 2022 at the Mapei – Citta del Tricolore stadium in Sassuolo. |
AC Milan won their first
Serie A title in 11 years on Sunday after beating Sassuolo 3-0 in Reggio Emilia
to snatch the crown from local rivals Inter Milan on the final day of a
thrilling campaign.
Serie A title in 11 years on Sunday after beating Sassuolo 3-0 in Reggio Emilia
to snatch the crown from local rivals Inter Milan on the final day of a
thrilling campaign.
Needing just a point to claim the Scudetto Milan
swept their hosts aside thanks to an Olivier Giroud brace and another from
Franck Kessie in the first half in front of an army of away fans at the Mapei
Stadium.
swept their hosts aside thanks to an Olivier Giroud brace and another from
Franck Kessie in the first half in front of an army of away fans at the Mapei
Stadium.
Stefano Pioli’s Milan finished two points ahead
of Inter, who beat Sampdoria 3-0 at the San Siro but could not retain their
title.
of Inter, who beat Sampdoria 3-0 at the San Siro but could not retain their
title.
Fans partied in Milan and sang ‘We Are The
Champions’ with the players on the pitch in Reggio Emilia as the ‘Rossoneri’
returned to the top of the Italian game after years of poor teams and financial
problems since their last league crown in 2011.
Champions’ with the players on the pitch in Reggio Emilia as the ‘Rossoneri’
returned to the top of the Italian game after years of poor teams and financial
problems since their last league crown in 2011.
“We deserved this for always having believed
it was possible,” said Pioli after winning his first ever major trophy as
a coach at the age of 56.
“My players never gave up, they were all
fantastic… I’ve enjoyed it because I could see that my players enjoyed it
too.”
Milan were imperious in winning their sixth match
on the bounce and securing a title which for long tracts of the season looked
like Inter’s to lose.
on the bounce and securing a title which for long tracts of the season looked
like Inter’s to lose.
They were helped by another exciting display from
winger Rafael Leao, and big game display from Giroud, who has struck some of
the most important goals of Milan’s charge to the title despite only netting 11
times all season in the league.
winger Rafael Leao, and big game display from Giroud, who has struck some of
the most important goals of Milan’s charge to the title despite only netting 11
times all season in the league.
Sassuolo immediately wilted in the face of a
Milan onslaught and practically handed Giroud the chance to net an almost
identical double in the first 32 minutes, both laid on by Leao.
Milan onslaught and practically handed Giroud the chance to net an almost
identical double in the first 32 minutes, both laid on by Leao.
And four minutes later Leao burst down the right
and cut back for Kessie, who smashed in the third to sign off in perfect
fashion ahead of his move to Barcelona as a free agent in the close season.
and cut back for Kessie, who smashed in the third to sign off in perfect
fashion ahead of his move to Barcelona as a free agent in the close season.
“When I came here (over Christmas 2019) I
said that I would take Milan back to the top and that I would win the
title,” said Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who was at Milan the last time they won
the league.
“This is a great group of players. We’ve
worked hard, quietly and in the end we’re the ones who have won, because two
years ago the situation was very difficult.”
– Inter fall short –
Inter fans packed the San Siro in the hope that
their team would pounce on a Milan slip-up but it was they who had more
problems breaking the deadlock against a Samp team with nothing to play for.
their team would pounce on a Milan slip-up but it was they who had more
problems breaking the deadlock against a Samp team with nothing to play for.
A bubbling atmosphere slowly dissipated as news
of Milan’s goals came in and there was also frustration at Inter’s inability to
make the most of their clear dominance.
of Milan’s goals came in and there was also frustration at Inter’s inability to
make the most of their clear dominance.
As so often this season it was Ivan Perisic who
took matters into his own hands, calmly finishing into the bottom corner with
his left foot after being nicely set up by a rampaging Nicolo Barella.
took matters into his own hands, calmly finishing into the bottom corner with
his left foot after being nicely set up by a rampaging Nicolo Barella.
From there Samp gave up the ghost and two goals
in as many minutes from Joaquin Correa just before the hour ensured Inter would
finish with a win.
in as many minutes from Joaquin Correa just before the hour ensured Inter would
finish with a win.
Home fans applauded their team off the pitch
despite what must have been a painful way to lose their Serie A crown, with the
hardcore in the Curva Nord chanting coach Simone Inzaghi’s name in a show of
faith which is likely to be shared by the club.
despite what must have been a painful way to lose their Serie A crown, with the
hardcore in the Curva Nord chanting coach Simone Inzaghi’s name in a show of
faith which is likely to be shared by the club.
“I think the team need to be applauded. It
was an brilliant season which could have been an extraordinary one,”
Inzaghi told DAZN.
“We have a bit of a sour taste in our mouths
as we won nine of our last 10 matches, but it wasn’t enough.”
Salernitana completed their miracle escape from
relegation despite being thumped 4-0 at home by Udinese, Cagliari going down to
Serie B after only drawing 0-0 at bottom side Venezia.
relegation despite being thumped 4-0 at home by Udinese, Cagliari going down to
Serie B after only drawing 0-0 at bottom side Venezia.
Cagliari had to win to have any hope of staying
up but failed to find a goal and finished one point and a place behind
Salernitana just inside the drop zone.
up but failed to find a goal and finished one point and a place behind
Salernitana just inside the drop zone.
Fans celebrated and invaded the pitch in Salerno
after their team, which had been bottom for almost the entire season, were
saved from relegation with the lowest ever points total of any team to ever
stay up in Serie A history.
after their team, which had been bottom for almost the entire season, were
saved from relegation with the lowest ever points total of any team to ever
stay up in Serie A history.
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