Clinical Inter lift Serie A title as rivals stumble in one-sided race

MILAN (Agencies): Inter Milan clinched their 21st Serie A title on Sunday after a season defined by relentless consistency, as Cristian Chivu’s side wrapped up the championship thanks to a robust defensive spine and a clinical strike partnership. The Nerazzurri were able to celebrate the title following a 2-0 win at home against Parma that left them 12 points clear of second-placed Napoli with three matches remaining. Unlike last season’s thrilling finale where Napoli grabbed the Scudetto in the final round of the season, this year the writing was on the wall in February as Inter’s closest title contenders, including Napoli and AC Milan, stumbled while Inter powered ahead. Inter’s dominance has been particularly evident in attack, with Chivu’s side having scored 82 goals this season, 30 more ⁠than Napoli. Inter’s strike duo of Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram have spearheaded their run to the title, netting 16 and 13 goals respectively. The tally is particularly impressive given that both forwards endured spells on the sidelines due to injury, forcing Chivu to rotate his squad effectively in recent months.

The forwards were supported by a versatile midfield featuring veteran Hakan Calhanoglu, who has scored nine times in the league this season. Tactically, Chivu’s implementation of a high-pressing system provided the platform for their success. Their defence, anchored by Alessandro Bastoni, Manuel Akanji and Federico Dimarco for most of the season, has conceded only 31 goals so far. The squad’s grit was never more evident than during their final major hurdle against top-four contenders Como in April. Trailing by two goals and facing a rare moment of vulnerability, Inter produced a blistering second-half display to storm back for a 4-3 victory.

NAPOLI ⁠INJURIES, MILAN IDENTITY CRISIS

Inter were aided by problems among their title rivals as Napoli and Milan both suffered injuries to key players. Napoli saw their campaign unravel during a bruising autumn as injuries to Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund stripped Antonio Conte of his side’s core while forward Romelu Lukaku has played only a handful of games all season. Across the city, Milan faced an identity crisis. The return of Massimiliano Allegri to the bench brought a shift ⁠towards a more conservative, pragmatic style of play that often clashed with the squad’s natural attacking flair, with key players Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic both suffering multiple injuries and a goal drought. While Inter were consistently strong against the league’s mid-table clubs, Milan’s stumble in the second half of the ⁠season was marked by a series of frustrating results. Draws against Sassuolo and Genoa at home, combined with a shock home defeat to Parma in late February, allowed a narrow gap to widen into an insurmountable double-digit lead. By the time Milan secured a morale-boosting 1-0 win in the Derby della Madonnina ⁠in March, the damage was already done. The lack of squad depth and the inability to maintain momentum during the spring months ultimately left them watching from a distance as Inter cruised to the Scudetto. By early March, the only remaining question was when the title would be made official, with the answer arriving emphatically on Sunday.