AC Milan win first Serie A since 2004 with draw at Roma

Posted Tuesday, May 10, 2011 by Supersport.com

AC Milan win first Serie A since 2004 with draw at Roma
AC Milan players and management celebrate their Scudetto triumph

AC Milan clinched their first Serie A title since 2004 with a 0-0 draw at Roma on Saturday.

With two games to go, AC Milan have 78 points, nine more than city rivals Inter, who have three remaining games.

But head-to-head results decide the destination of the Scudetto in the event of a tie, and the Rossoneri won both league matches between the sides.

AC Milan's triumph brings to an end a run of five successive league titles for Inter Milan.

It also marks a successful first season for coach Massimiliano Allegri, who joined AC Milan last summer after his surprise sacking by Cagliari in April 2010.

His former side are AC Milan's next opponents, at the San Siro on Saturday, where his players can celebrate their latest title victory in front of their home fans.

Allegri said his team were worthy champions despite claims before the season began that too many of Milan's players were past their best for them to challenge for the title.

"We gave a lot all year long to get here and we deserve to win. I'm lucky because the president [Silvio Berlusconi] gave us the opportunity [with new signings] to get important results.

"But most of all because of what was said about us being old and that we didn't have any more to give.

"We had a lot more to give and we showed that. We won 23 out of 36 games and proved that we deserved it."

Vice-captain Gennaro Gattuso, 33, who was part of Milan's last league winning side in 2004, added: "They said we were dead, they said I was finished so to win after seven years is wonderful.

"Allegri deserves a 10 out of 10, he was the architect of this success, he managed to keep the group compact."

Both Milan clubs have now won 18 Serie A titles, but Juventus are still Italy's most successful domestic side by a distance with 27.