Rossoneri in raptures after ending Inter's Serie A reign

AC Milan won its first Serie A title in 11 years on Sunday after beating Sassuolo 3-0 in Reggio Emilia to snatch the crown from local rival Inter on the final day of a thrilling campaign.

Needing just a point to claim the Scudetto, Milan swept its host 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, which beat Sampdoria 3-0 at the San Siro but could not retain the 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 substandard squads 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 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 was imperious in winning its sixth match on the bounce and securing a title which for long tracts of the season looked like Inter's to lose.

Milan was helped by another exciting display from winger Rafael Leao, and a big-game display from Giroud, who has struck some of the most important goals of the Rossoneri's title charge 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.

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 offseason.

"When I came here (in December 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's anticlimax

Inter fans packed the San Siro in the hope that their team would pounce on a Milan slip-up, but Inter 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 its 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 set up by Nicolo Barella.

From there Samp threw in the towel, and two goals 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 the Serie A crown, with the hardcore supporters in the Curva Nord section chanting coach Simone Inzaghi's name in a show of faith which is likely to be shared by the club.

"I think the team needs to be applauded. It was a 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 its miracle escape from relegation despite being thumped 4-0 at home by Udinese. Cagliari dropped down to Serie B after 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.

Fans celebrated and invaded the pitch in Salerno after their team, which had been bottom for almost the entire season, was saved from relegation with the lowest ever points total of any team to survive the drop in Serie A history.

AFP