ITALY: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - AC Milan fans celebrate first Serie A title in seven years

Record ID: 423250

  • Title: ITALY: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - AC Milan fans celebrate first Serie A title in seven years
  • Date: 8th May 2011
  • Summary: MILAN, ITALY (MAY 7, 2011) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) FANS WAVING AC MILAN FLAGS IN FRONT OF MILAN'S DUOMO FANS WAVING AC MILAN FLAGS ON SCOOTERS AND CARS VARIOUS CROWD CELEBRATING (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) AC MILAN FAN MARCO SANNA SAYING: "We've been waiting five years for this victory, five years trailing behind our hated cousins (REFERS TO INTER MILAN). But today is our day." MORE FLAGS VARIOUS CROWD CELEBRATING (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) AC MILAN FAN GIORGIO TESTA SAYING: "It is such an amazing feeling, we are the best! Thanks to Allegri (AC MILAN'S COACH) for having given us this title, our eighteenth, the most beautiful. Thanks Milan!" VARIOUS FANS WAVING AC MILAN FLAGS AND CHANTING MORE FLAGS VARIOUS CROWD OF FANS (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) AC MILAN FAN SERGIO MIELI SAYING: "We won 18 titles, and with no tribunal helping us. We never had any tribunal handing us titles, and we won 18 of them." MORE FANS CELEBRATING VARIOUS CROWD WAVING FLAGS AND CHANTING
  • Embargoed: 23rd May 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVACEOY3L82SIFF9MGT64PETD1P2
  • Story Text: Thousands of AC Milan gathered in the city's main square on Saturday (May 7) to celebrate the Serie A victory by the Rossoneri for the first time in seven years, as a goalless draw at AS Roma clinched the title with two games to spare.
    Milan, in their first season under coach Massimiliano Allegri, took an unassailable nine-point lead over bitter rivals Inter Milan, champions for the last five seasons and the only team who could catch them before the start of the weekend.
    "We've been waiting five years for this victory, five years trailing behind our hated cousins. But today is our day", said AC Milan fan Marco Sanna, while the square in front of Milan's Cathedral was filling with fans chanting and waving flags.
    It is AC Milan's 18th Serie A title, ending a drought that saw their Inter Milan archrivals sealing victory year after year.
    "Thanks to Allegri for having given us this title, our 18th, the most beautiful", said Milan fan Giorgio Testa.
    "We won 18 titles, and with no tribunal helping us. We never had any tribunal handing us titles, and we won 18 of them", said fan Sergio Mieli, hinting at the scandal that in 2006 saw some Serie A teams including AC Milan being found guilty of match-fixing. Serie A winner Juventus was stripped of the title at the end of the season, which was given to Inter Milan as the highest placed after AC Milan were also stripped of points, and thus becoming the first of the five-year streak that ended with AC Milan's Saturday victory.
    Inter have three matches left but, even if they caught Milan, Leonardo's side would still lose out on their head-to-head record which decides the title if teams finish level on points.
    Roma had the better chances in a generally dire first half with Mirko Vucinic forcing a point-blank save from goalkeeper Christian Abbiati.
    Alessandro Nesta also made a crucial clearance with the Montenegrin lurking behind him before Aleandro Rosi forced Abbiati into action again.
    Milan, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic returning from a three-match suspension, made a livelier start to the second half and Robinho hit the post almost immediately having shaken off Marco Cassetti.
    Kevin-Prince Boateng flicked the ball agonisingly wide on the hour after being sent clear by Ibrahimovic, who shortly afterwards had a fierce effort parried away by Doni.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register