Inter Milan bagged their 20th Serie A title on Monday with a 2-1 victory over AC Milan, securing an insurmountable lead in the standings under the guidance of coach Simone Inzaghi.
Francesco Acerbi and Marcus Thuram scored in each half, ensuring Inter's triumph, while Fikayo Tomori's late goal for Milan served as a consolation.
The match ended in a heated manner, with three players sent off in stoppage time. Milan's Theo Hernandez and Davide Calabria, along with Inter's Denzel Dumfries, received red cards as tensions boiled over.
Having suffered only one defeat in the league this season, Inter holds a commanding 17-point lead over second-placed Milan with five games remaining.
For Inzaghi, this victory marks his first Serie A title as a manager and his sixth trophy with Inter.
"There are so many protagonists of this success, first and foremost the players, but also the directors and chairman Steven Zhang, as anything we needed during this journey was provided for us," Inzaghi said to DAZN.
"It’s an incredible sensation, we did something incredible and it’s only right to share it with as many people as possible."
The San Siro was packed with supporters from both clubs, with Inter fans displaying two stars to symbolize their impending 20th Scudetto, spelling out a message to their rivals: 'Our destiny, your nightmare.'
Heated match
The match heated up in the opening minutes as both sides engaged in pushing and shouting following a late challenge on Inter's Nicolo Barella. However, play resumed a few minutes later without any bookings.
After 18 minutes, the away fans erupted after Benjamin Pavard flicked a corner to a completely unmarked Acerbi, who had little trouble heading in the lead for Inter.
Just before the break, Inter keeper Yann Sommer made a superb reflex save on a Calabria effort, while at the other end, Milan keeper Mike Maignan blocked Henrikh Mkhitaryan's shot moments later.
Four minutes after the break, Thuram doubled Inter's lead by sending a low shot from the edge of the box into the bottom-left corner.
As the minutes ticked closer to the end, fans set off flares in the stands, casting a foggy veil over the pitch.
Milan reignited the match 10 minutes before the time when a save from Sommer rebounded off the post and fell into the path of Fikayo Tomori, who headed it home.
In stoppage time, tempers flared as a scuffle broke out between the players, resulting in Dumfries and Hernandez being shown red cards.
Yet another brawl ensued on the pitch minutes later, culminating in Milan's Calabria receiving a red card for striking Inter's Davide Frattesi.
"It was a good game, it’s a pity that it got so tense in the last five minutes, as it had been very fair until then. We played well, could’ve scored another goal in the first half, but we are very happy," Inzaghi said.
As the referee sounded the final whistle, Inter players and staff began to celebrate the triumph.
Inter fans then moved the party out of the stadium and toward the Piazza Duomo, a well-known celebration spot in Milan, where thousands celebrated with fireworks and cheers, casting shades of blue and black against the backdrop of the Milan Cathedral.