AC Milan win Serie A title for first time in 11 years after victory at Sassuolo
- Published
Pioli was appointed Inter Milan manager part of the way through the 2016-17 season and was sacked at the end of the campaign
AC Milan won their 19th Serie A title but the first for 11 years by cruising to victory at Sassuolo.
Olivier Giroud scored twice with Franck Kessie also on target for the visitors.
The title triumph vindicates Milan's decision to appoint Stefano Pioli as manager in 2019 - a move that was initially unpopular with Pioli having led city rivals Inter for six months.
Inter finished two points back, a final-day 3-0 victory over Sampdoria ultimately in vain.
Napoli were third after a 3-0 win at Spezia while Juventus ended their disappointing season under Massimiliano Allegri - who won the title with Milan in 2010-11 - by finishing fourth but qualifying for next season's Champions League.
England international Fikayo Tomori was part of Milan's title-winning team in his first full season since his permanent move from Chelsea last summer.
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Pioli brings back glory days but has medal stolen
Milan have suffered more than a decade of disappointment since the title for Allegri in 2011 but Italian Pioli has brought back the glory days.
Former Serie A players such as Clarence Seedorf, Filippo Inzaghi, Sinisa Mihajlovic, Vincenzo Montella and Gennaro Gattuso have all since tried and failed to revive the former European champions.
Veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was part of that last Milan side that won Serie A and at the age of 40 he lifted the trophy with the club for a second time.
By winning the title, midfielder Daniel Maldini follows in the footsteps of his father Paolo Maldini, who won seven league titles with Milan, and grandfather Cesare Maldini with four.
But Pioli left the title celebrations empty-handed after having his winner's medal stolen.
"They snatched my medal in the celebrations: if you can make an appeal I thank you, it is the only one I have," he said.
Thankfully, Serie A heard his appeal and have promised to give him another medal on Monday.
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