Inter takes the Champions League! The overtaking, as in all worthy grands prix, arrived right at the photo finish, with the Nerazzurri able to beat Lazio at the end of a beautiful match, in the balance until the last moment.
This is the most important verdict of the last day but not the only one: the others see the Milan in sixth place (therefore direct Europa League), Atalanta in seventh (triple preliminary) and the Crotone in B together with Verona and Benevento.
But let's start from the Olimpico and from the most important match, the one that pitted Lazio and Inter against each other to compete for the last place available for the Champions League. An evening of great football in the Capital, with the Biancocelesti and the Nerazzurri fighting to the end, with no holds barred. The first "punch" was scored by Inzaghi's men with Marusic, lucky to find Perisic's decisive deflection for the initial 1-0 (9'). Inter on the ropes but able to react in the 29th minute with D'Ambrosio, rapacious in making the most of a scrum and beating Strakosha for the black and blue draw. Not even the time to rejoice that Lazio are back in the lead with Felipe Anderson, on goal after a fast and lethal counter-attack: 2-1 for the Biancoceleste!
Crazy and totally unconventional match that literally exploded in the second half. First Inter saw a penalty taken away by the Var, then assign (and score) one by referee Rocchi due to a foul by De Vrij (ironically…) on Icardi, with the Argentine very cold in the conversion that earned him the title of top scorer at an altitude of 29, albeit in cohabitation with Immobile (78 ').
Finished emotions? Not a chance. In the 79th minute Lulic, already booked, was sent off and when at 81' neighbor, guiltily left alone, he deflected the ball into the net to make it 2-3 the Inter fans literally went mad with joy: the much-dreamed-of Champions League has come true.
Great party for Spalletti, celebration certainly more contained for Gattuso, who in any case achieved sixth place in the standings. The 5-1 win over Fiorentina therefore gave away the direct Europa League, not the best but not the least for those who, 24 days ago, had taken over from Montella in tenth place. A match full of goals at San Siro, with the Viola leading (Simeone on 20') and the Rossoneri equalizing (Calhanoglu from a free-kick on 23'), coming back (Cutrone on 41') and spreading (Kalinic on 49, Cutrone again on 59', Bonaventura on 76'). The other verdicts of the championship see the Rome in third place (1-0 against Sassuolo, own goal from Pegolo), Atalanta in the Europa League preliminaries despite the defeat in Cagliari, salvation for the Sardinians, Udinese (1-0 against Bologna), Chievo (same result against Benevento) and Spal ( 3-1 over Sampdoria), relegation to Serie B for Crotone, defeated 2-1 by Napoli (goals from Milik and Callejon for the Azzurri, Tumminello with expired time for the Calabrians) and therefore forced to say goodbye to the top flight after the miraculous salvation of last year.
