ROME: Inter Milan clinched their first Serie A title in 11 years on Sunday after Sassuolo drew 1-1 with second-placed Atalanta to assure Antonio Contes side of the league crown.

Inter are 13 points clear in first place with four games remaining, and their triumph ends a run of nine consecutive title wins for Juventus.

The league title is Inter’s first since winning the Serie A, Coppa Italia and Cham­pions League Treble in 2009/10 under Jose Mour­inho, and their 19th overall.

Inter have therefore overtaken AC Milan, who have 18 Serie A titles, to become the second-most successful club in league history behind Juventus, with 36 league wins.

Atalanta goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini saw red after 22 minutes, but the Bergamo club went in front 10 minutes later through a Robin Gosens strike.

Sassuolo equalised early in the second half through a Domenico Berardi penalty, but the hosts were then also reduced to 10 men when Marlon earned a second yellow and conceded a penalty.

However, Luis Muriel’s spot kick was saved by Andrea Consigli.

Inter defeated Crotone 2-0 on Saturday to move up to 82 points, and Atalanta’s draw ensured it was mathematically impossible for any of the chasing pack to catch them.

Atalanta are equal on 69 points with third-placed AC Milan, who are two points ahead of Napoli who were held to a 1-1 draw by Cagliari.

Juve have been denied a 10th straight league title and are now fighting for a Champions League spot. They are fifth, three points behind Atalanta with a game in hand.

Conte started Juve’s run, leading the Turin giants to the first three of their current run of nine titles.

“We are succeeding in toppling a kingdom that had lasted for nine years. We’re aware that we can do something extraordinary because Inter haven’t won a Scudetto in 11 years, and we’re breaking up a dynasty. The lads deserve this joy, congratulations to them,” Conte said before joining his already-celebrating team to sing and dance in the changing room following their win over Crotone.

It was quite a different scene in the home team’s changing room, as Crotone were relegated.

“I made the most difficult choice by coming to Inter,” Conte added, referring to the club’s long dry spell. “I love a challenge and came here to challenge myself.”

Conte also excels at challenging his players. Players like talented Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen, who was largely an enigma during his first year with Inter after transferring from Tottenham midway through last season.

Eriksen, who has developed into one of the keys of Inter’s unbeaten run during the second half of this campaign, scored the opening goal midway through the second half on a play that began with a back-heel flick from fellow substitute Alexis Sanchez.

Four minutes after the subs went on, Romelu Lukaku took Sanchez’s creative pass and left it for Eriksen to score with a drive that deflected in off a defender.

Achraf Hakimi sealed it for Inter by finishing off a counterattack in stoppage time.

Also on Saturday, Milan bounced back from consecutive losses with a 2-0 win over relegation-threatened Benevento.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned from injury with Hakan Calhanoglu putting the home side ahead after six minutes following good work from Alexis Saelemaekers and Franck Kessie.

Benevento goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipo got his foot to an Ibrahimovic goal-bound effort before the break, and again cleared from the Swede after the hour but Theo Hernandez was on hand to finish off the rebound.

Benevento remained 18th.

Earlier, a late equaliser from Riccardo Saponara ear­ned Serie A debutants Spezia a much-needed point at Hellas Verona in a 1-1 draw. Spezia, based in Liguria, moved three points clear of the drop zone.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2021