Inter Milan secures 20th Serie A title
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MILAN, April 23, (AP): Winning the derby ended up being the cherry on top of a special night for Inter Milan.
Holding off AC Milan 2-1 clinched for Inter the Serie A that had been sign-posted for weeks, and earned a coveted second star on its jersey for winning a 20th Italian league title, breaking a tie with its fierce city rival.
“I told the guys: ‘We found ourselves in a situation that’s never happened before,’” Inter captain Lautaro Martínez said. “We needed to take advantage of this opportunity because look around, the entire stadium is ours now.”
Not even the pouring rain could dampen the spirits of the Nerazzurri and their fans.
Francesco Acerbi and Marcus Thuram scored and, although Fikayo Tomori’s late goal for AC Milan threatened to delay the celebrations, Inter held on for the win that stretched its lead to an insurmountable 17 points over second-placed Milan, with five rounds remaining.
Flares and fireworks were set off in the San Siro, and the Inter players danced raucously in front of their fans. A banner was unfurled saying in Italian: “Repeat it to the Madonnina, who are the champions and who are the crybabies.”
The Madonnina is the statue that overlooks the city on top of the Milan cathedral, and which the derby is named after.
After winning eight other trophies, Simone Inzaghi claimed his first league title as a coach.
A star is awarded for every 10 Serie A titles. Only Juventus has won more, with a record 36 and thus three stars on its jersey.
Despite the rain, the stars aligned for Inter to wrap up Serie A, another star, and the Derby della Madonnina on one night at San Siro, the stadium both teams share. Milan was technically the away team and only one end of the stadium was reserved for its black-and-blue-clad support.
Inter had won the past five derbies, including both legs of the Champions League semifinal last year and a 5-1 humiliation of Milan earlier this season in Serie A.
And the Nerazzurri went in front in the 18th minute when Benjamin Pavard nodded on Federico Dimarco’s corner for an unmarked Acerbi to head in from close range.
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