Rome (AFP)

Inter Milan, pragmatic against Torino (2-1) on Sunday, built victory after victory his first scudetto since 2010 but Juventus and the revenge Cristiano Ronaldo, author of a hat-trick in Cagliari (3-1), did not not yet abdicated.

Expected at the turn after the surprise elimination this week in the Champions League, Juve shows that it will defend to the end the title it has held continuously since 2012 even if the ten points behind the Nerazzurri begin to weigh in mid-March.

And this despite the late match that the Bianconeri must play against Napoli.

Milan, runner-up to Inter at nine points, will try in the evening to keep pace with the Inter players and the Turinese in front of Naples (6th) in a capital match for the battle for the Champions League (19:45 GMT).

- Ronaldo walks on Cagliari -

Cristiano Ronaldo, the target of criticism this week after the European elimination against Porto, responded in his own way: with goals.

In the last Italian stadium where he had never managed to score, CR7 signed his second "hat trick" in Serie A since his arrival in 2018, and his second against the Sardinians: with an overpowered header from a corner (10th) , a penalty obtained and transformed (25th) and a cross strike from the left (32nd).

However, the Portuguese could also have left the field at 1-0: author of a dangerous foot forward on the Sardinian goalkeeper Alessio Cragno, hit on the chin, he only received a yellow but came close to direct red ( 14th).

With 23 goals, Ronaldo consolidates his first place in the scorers standings ahead of Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku (19 goals).

"It is a privilege to have him with us, we keep him, he is part of the future" of Juve, assured the sports director of Juve Fabio Paratici, in response to rumors evoking the desire to leave CR7 after the new European disillusion.

Faced with the Portuguese hurricane, Cagliari had to reach a downturn in Turin to reduce the score by Giovanni Simeone (61st) in the second half.

- Inter runs to the title -

The Nerazzurri, orbiting their first scudetto since 2010 to end Juventus' nine-year reign, again relied on Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez.

"Big Rom" opened the scoring on a penalty obtained by the Argentinian (62nd).

Then Lautaro Martinez offered the success to the Inters of a whim (85th), after the Torino had snatched the equalizer by Antonio Sanabria (70th).

Inter Milan, faithful to the "pragmatic" line adopted by Antonio Conte - in the stands because suspended Sunday - since the elimination in the Champions League in December, has become a very effective team if not flamboyant: eighth victory of continuation in the league, and third in a row by a single goal difference.

"Today, we demonstrated once again that we were ready for important things," assured Lautaro Martinez.

- Roma stumble over Parma -

At relegation Parma (0-2), Roma paid for the efforts made Thursday in the Europa League against Shakhtar Donetsk (3-0).

With seven of the eleven holders renewed, the Giallorossi cracked entry (9th, Valentin Mihaila).

"A team that wants to go to the Champions League cannot take goals like that," regretted their coach Paulo Fonseca.

Parma, who had not won in the league for three and a half months (and 17 matches), smelled the right thing after this thunderous start and doubled the penalty put by Hernani (55th).

The Parmesans (19th) are only three points behind the first non-relegation, Cagliari (17th).

Roma made a bad operation by dropping its fourth place - the last qualifier for the C1 - at Atalanta Bergamo, victorious Friday of La Spezia (3-1).

© 2021 AFP