Inter win 2020/21 Serie A title
By Max Cooper
Inter have been crowned Serie A champions for the 2020/21 season after Atalanta were held to a 1-1 draw by Sassuolo on Sunday afternoon.
I Nerazzurri played their part on Saturday, edging to a 2-0 victory over Crotone, leaving themselves 14 points ahead of La Dea in second place with only 15 points available.
Inter's first title in 11 years was confirmed on Sunday afternoon when Atalanta drew 1-1 at Sassuolo, meaning I Nerazzurri have officially ended Juventus' nine-year reign at the top of Serie A.
S I A M O N O I. S I A M O N O I.
— Inter (@Inter) May 2, 2021
I C A M P I O N I D E L L’ I T A L I A S I A M O N O I. 1️⃣9️⃣⚫️?#IMScudetto #IMInter #ForzaInter pic.twitter.com/Y64V27gUKf
It is the first time Inter have won the scudetto since the famous treble under Jose Mourinho in 2010 and the club has suffered badly over the past decade in their attempts to recreate those heroics. But the arrival of Antonio Conte, along with some serious investment in the squad, has transformed them into the best team in Italy.
I Nerazzurri have collected 82 points from the first 34 matches of the campaign, scoring 74 goals and conceding 29 in that time. They are on an incredible unbeaten run of form stretching back to the beginning of January and haven't lost in 18 league matches.
In fact, Inter have only lost twice all season - a 2-1 defeat to rivals Milan early in the season and a loss to Sampdoria by the same scoreline on January 6.
The partnership of Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez has been key to their success, while the Conte has also finally unlocked the best version of Christian Eriksen at San Siro. Defensively, they have been extremely solid, with Milan Skriniar, Stefan de Vrij and Alessandro Bastoni forging one of the most fearsome backlines in Italy.
Their relentlessness has blown all of the competition out of the water in 2021 and there has been little doubt over the eventual winners for a number of months.
Speaking after Inter's 2-0 victory over Crotone, Conte congratulated his players for growing 'mentally' and for 'breaking up a dynasty' - a dynasty he started 11 years ago.
“The season that we’ve had is due to the continuous improvement of the squad. Not just in a tactical or technical sense, but mentally too. Those who play, those who come on and those who stay on the bench are all doing the right things and we’ve created something solid.
"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.”
For fallen champions Juve, their run of nine successive scudetti has come to an end. The Italian giants have struggled under Andrea Pirlo this year, and they could even miss out on Champions League qualification.