Rome (AFP)
Crowd of supporters in front of the stadium, guard of honor at the entrance to the field and avalanche of goals with substitutes in the spotlight: Inter Milan celebrated their scudetto on Saturday by atomizing Sampdoria (5-1), not came to San Siro with the intention of spoiling the party.
Huis-clos sanitary requires, it is in front of San Siro that a few thousand Nerazzurri supporters were able to let their joy burst out, when the players' bus arrived.
Flags, songs and applause greeted Antonio Conte and his troops before the meeting.
When entering the field, the players of Sampdoria formed the traditional guard of honor, the only sign of celebration for lack of an atmosphere at the height of the event: the first title of champion of Italy since 2010 for Inter, validated last weekend four days from the end of the season.
Model guests with nothing to lose or gain, Claudio Ranieri's players remained so once the match started, taking care not to disrupt the party.
Antonio Conte had left on the bench several of the great architects of the title (Lukaku, Barella, Brozovic, Perisic, Skriniar, De Vrij ...) to involve everyone in the feast.
From the 4th minute, the "soldier" Roberto Gagliardini was rewarded by opening the mark on a service from Ashley Young.
Alexis Sanchez, frustrated by his poor playing time during the season, also made up for it with a double (26th, 36th) which extinguished the few inclinations of the Samp, returned to the score by Keité Baldé (35th).
More generous than ever, Conte launched in the second half the replacement goalkeeper Ionut Radu then the striker Andrea Pinamonti who was quick to score his first Serie A goal in the jersey of Inter (61st).
Romelu Lukaku could quietly enjoy the show from the bench, and applaud the 16th goal of his usual friend Lautaro Martinez, not sorry to take charge of the penalty which presented itself (70th) in the absence of the Belgian, usual shooter.
This is what is called a celebration without false notes, looking like revenge for the Nerazzurri after the first leg defeat in Genoa (1-2), one of the only two setbacks of the season in the league.
© 2021 AFP