Italy: Inter Milan, without rival, wins its 2nd star

On his planet and in another galaxy: Inter Milan on Monday became the second club in history to become the second club in history. win the title of Italian champion for the twentieth time by beating, the icing on the tiramisu, its great rival AC Milan 2 à 1.

At the first opportunity to win the “scudetto”, Lautaro Martinez and his teammates responded, as they did throughout a season that they flew through.

To the delight of their excited fans, the Nerazzurri won the Milan derby at San Siro, of which AC Milan was officially the host, thanks to goals from Francesco Acerbi (18th) and Marcus Thuram (49th). ). The reduction of the score by Fikayo Tomori (80th) and a tense end to the match marked by three expulsions sent some shivers through the internal ranks. Who, however, held on.

Five days before the end of the season, they have an insurmountable lead of 17 points over AC Milan.

Inter Milan's French defender Benjamin Pavard and his teammates after the second goal scored against AC Milan on April 22, 2024 at San Siro © AFP – GABRIEL BOUYS

Simone Inzaghi's team made calcio history: before her, only Juventus had reached, in 1982, the figure of twenty national titles which gives the right to embroider two stars on its jerseys golden.

If Juve is far at the top of the historic Serie A list with the astronomical total of 36 titles – and therefore three stars -, Inter have taken over the ascendancy over AC Milan who returned to their height in 2022 with their 19th title.

– Ten victories in a row –

Inter's coronation was no longer in doubt for several weeks now, as the Nerazzurri dominate their subject and their rivals have multiplied their missteps.

The outgoing champion Naples quickly out of the equation, Inter spent almost the entire season in the lead, leaving only crumbs to AC Milan (leader after only the 8th day) and Juventus, briefly in the lead after the 21st day.

Inter Milan's French striker Marcus Thuram and his teammates after his goal against AC Milan on April 22, 2024 at San Siro © AFP – GABRIEL BOUYS

While Inter had a string of victories (including a series of ten in a row between January and March), AC Milan compromised their chances in the fall, while Juve lost their footing during the first quarter of 2024 by pocketing seven small points in nine matches.

For his part, Inzaghi has set up a formidable winning machine: his team has only conceded one defeat in the league, against the modest Sassuolo team (2-1) at San Siro on September 27.

Its record is impressive: 27 victories in 33 matches with by far the best attack (79 goals scored) and defense (18 conceded) in Serie A.

He owes a lot to Lautaro Martinez, promoted this season to captain and top scorer in the championship (23), but also to a newcomer with a surname already well known in Serie A, Marcus Thuram.

– Elimination in the round of 16 of the C1 –

Inter striker Marcus Thuram after his goal against AC Milan on April 22, 2024 at San Siro © AFP – GABRIEL BOUYS

Arriving last summer from Mönchengladbach, the French international, son of Lilian, who played for Parma (1996-2001) and Juventus (2001-06), had no problem adapting, as his twelve goals and seven assists in the league.

Inter also had a hollow nose by betting on Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer (19 matches without conceding a goal in the league) and on the Frenchman Benjamin Pavard to strengthen his defense.

With Hakan Calhanoglu and Henrix Mkhitaryan in charge in midfield, Inter can still beat between now and end of the season some records.

His fantastic 2023-24 season will however remain marred by his elimination by Atletico Madrid in the round of 16 of the Champions League including she had played in the final in 2023 and the accusations of racist insult during a match which targeted Acerbi, finally exonerated by the Italian Federation.

On the fields at least, the future looks bright: Inzaghi and Martinez will extend, the arrivals of Mehdi Taremi (Porto) and Piotr Zielinski (Naples) have already been finalized.

Behind the scenes, it's much more vague: Inter, forced to sell to recruit, reduced their losses in 2022-23, but they still amounted to 85 million euros.

Its owner since 2016, the Chinese group Suning of businessman Steven Zhang, is increasing its borrowing to try to keep its head above water: it has just reached an agreement with an American fund to repay a loan of 375 million euros taken out from the Oaktree fund.

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