Inter Milan crowned Serie A champions with three games to go

Inter Milan have been crowned Serie A champions after beating Parma 2-0 at the San Siro on Sunday.

Marcus Thuram scored just before the break with an angled shot placed just beyond the reach of Parma goalkeeper Zion Suzuki. Then 37-year-old Henrikh Mkhitaryan added another in the 80th after taking a pass from Serie A scoring leader Lautaro Martinez, who came off the bench to mark his return from an injury layoff.

The home crowd rang out in song as full-time approached before players raced all over the field to celebrate the title after the final whistle.

Thuram was born in Parma while his father, Lilian Thuram, played there.

“Since I arrived at Inter, it’s been a team that loves to stay together — on and off the field — and that’s our strength,” Thuram said.

Cristian Chivu’s side had been the champions in waiting for some time and knew going into the Parma game that even a draw Sunday would clinch their second Italian top-flight title in the past three years.

Inter were runners-up to Napoli last season, but won the league the campaign before to end an 11-year wait. Their 21st Serie A title keeps them in second place all time behind only Juventus, who have 36.

It marks the first senior trophy as a manager for Chivu, who played 168 times for Inter from 2007-2014 and left Parma to be appointed Inter’s manager in June 2025. He replaced Simone Inzaghi, who had been at the club for four years.

Amid the celebrations, Inter midfielder Nicolò Barella was reminded how he was a leader on the Italy team that failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.

“That’s football and life. There are difficult moments,” Barella said. “For example, last season we came so close to everything and won nothing. In life you’ve always got to get back up on your feet.”

The title comes after Inter’s disappointing Champions League playoff-round exit to Bodo/Glimt in February. Inter can claim a domestic double if they beat Lazio in the Coppa Italia final on May 13. The last time the club won both the league and the cup in the same season was in 2011 when Jose Mourinho was coach.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.