WHAT HAPPENED?
Milan were first-hand witnesses to Inter securing this season’s Serie A title on Monday night, as the runaway Nerazzurri won 2-1 at San Siro to ensure their closest challengers and neighbours cannot catch them with as many as five games to still play. Milan added the likes of Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Tijjani Reijnders to their squad this season in the hope of reclaiming the Scudetto they won in 2021-22 but were no match for Inter’s much more experienced machine. Of the two clubs, Milan were champions more recently, which is likely to make this result particularly sickening and hard to swallow.
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GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Inter held a 14-point lead in the table prior to kick-off, having been top of the pile virtually all season. Simone Inzaghi’s side went ahead on the night through defender Francesco Acerbi in the 18th minute, before striker Marcus Thuram, emulating his father’s 2001-02 and 2002-03 Serie A titles with Juventus, doubled that lead early in the second half. Fikayo Tomori did pull one back for Milan 10 minutes before the end, but it was too little too late to change the result and delay the inevitable. As derby tensions boiled over, three red cards were shown in stoppage time, first as Theo Hernandez and Denzel Dumfries brawled in a physical confrontation as players from both sides tried to step in, and then for Milan’s Davide Calabria lashing out with an elbow.
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MILAN & INTER?
Neither club is still active in Europe or the Coppa Italia this season. Despite missing out on the title, Milan have virtually guaranteed a top four place and Champions League qualification given their 14-point cushion over fifth place Roma, who have only 18 left to play for. At worst, the Rossoneri could be caught by Juventus and Bologna and potentially tumble to fourth.
Source Goal.com
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