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AC MILAN WIN SCUDETTO AFTER 11 YEARS WAIT, SNATCH TITLE FROM CITY RIVALS, INTERMILAN

AC Milan won their first Serie A title in 11 years on Sunday after beating Sassuolo 3-0 in Reggio Emilia to snatch the crown from local rivals Inter Milan on the final day of a thrilling campaign.

Needing just a point to claim the Scudetto Milan swept their hosts aside thanks to an Olivier Giroud brace and another from Franck Kessie in the first half in front of an army of away fans at the Mapei Stadium.

Stefano Pioli’s Milan finished two points ahead of Inter, who beat Sampdoria 3-0 at the San Siro but could not retain their title.

Fans partied in Milan and sang ‘We Are The Champions’ with the players on the pitch in Reggio Emilia as the ‘Rossoneri’ returned to the top of the Italian game after years of poor teams and financial problems since their last league crown in 2011.

“We deserved this for always having believed it was possible,” said Pioli after winning his first ever major trophy as a coach at the age of 56.

“My players never gave up, they were all fantastic… I’ve enjoyed it because I could see that my players enjoyed it too.”

Milan were imperious in winning their sixth match on the bounce and securing a title which for long tracts of the season looked like Inter’s to lose.

They were helped by another exciting display from winger Rafael Leao, and big game display from Giroud, who has struck some of the most important goals of Milan’s charge to the title despite only netting 11 times all season in the league.

Sassuolo immediately wilted in the face of a Milan onslaught and practically handed Giroud the chance to net an almost identical double in the first 32 minutes, both laid on by Leao.

And four minutes later Leao burst down the right and cut back for Kessie, who smashed in the third to sign off in perfect fashion ahead of his move to Barcelona as a free agent in the close season.

“When I came here (over Christmas 2019) I said that I would take Milan back to the top and that I would win the title,” said Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who was at Milan the last time they won the league.

“This is a great group of players. We’ve worked hard, quietly and in the end we’re the ones who have won, because two years ago the situation was very difficult.”

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RALF RANGNICK THANKFUL TO BRIGHTON FOR HELPING MAN UTD SECURE EUROPA LEAGUE SPOT

Ralf Rangnick was thankful Brighton helped Manchester United qualify for next season’s Europa League following their own 1-0 loss away to Crystal Palace.

Rangnick left the hotseat by telling incoming boss Erik Ten Hag to focus on improving the team spirit at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils saw a sorry campaign end with another defeat after Wilfried Zaha’s first-half goal but they avoided the embarrassment of dropping into the Europa Conference League after West Ham were unable to win at Brighton.

It meant United finished the season in sixth but there would have been little positives for Ten Hag to take after he watched from the stand at Selhurst Park.

Rangnick said: “Yes, I think Brighton did us the favour to turn the game around because they were losing at half-time. They scored three times in the second half and that was the good thing about the weekend and about this fixture.

“We would have loved to take care of ourselves but in a way the game was indicative of last couple of weeks, especially when we played away from home.

“It was a new experience for me, not necessary coming in the middle of the season but knowing that it would be an interim role. Unfortunately we didn’t have any pre-season and unfortunately we couldn’t strengthen the squad.

“These things happen and in hindsight it was a little bit bittersweet or sweet bitter rather because in the first couple of weeks and months did well. We collected enough points with an average of 2.1 until the game against Atletico but I think that defeat in the Champions League was in a way like somebody popped the balloon.”

Ex-RB Leipzig manager Rangnick, who will continue to work with United in a consultancy role, did not hold back in his assessment key members of the Old Trafford squad lost focus after they exited the Champions League in March.

The Red Devils were fifth in the table before they were knocked out by Atletico and would win only two of their remaining nine matches.

Rangnick added: “I think the big goal of some of our top players was the Champions League and after this defeat to Atletico you could literally feel it in training that we did not have the same level of energy, focus and concentration in training.

“In the league if you are not playing at the best or highest level, and this also happened before I arrived, even against bottom teams like Watford you can concede four goals and this can happen.”

While Ten Hag was at Palace, he did not come into the United dressing room and Rangnick has also not spoken to the ex-Ajax boss in person.

The German plans to over the coming days and warned his successor of a key challenge at Old Trafford.

“Team spirit, yes this is also an issue,” Rangnick admitted. “I think this team could do with more cohesion, there could be more togetherness on the pitch.

“This is also important when we think of new players – when the board together with the manager are thinking about new players – that we make sure they are not only players that have the quality to strengthen the squad but they are players who will invest in the team spirit.”

Patrick Vieira saw his side claim another win to secure a 12th-place finish.

He said: “It was the best way to end the season, to win the game against United because of what they represent in the Premier League.

“I was really pleased because we won and we had another clean sheet at home so a good way to end the season.”

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MANCHESTER CITY STAGE REMARKABLE COMEBACK TO CLINCH PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE

Manchester City staged a sensational comeback from 2-0 down to retain the Premier League title with a dramatic 3-2 win over Aston Villa.

Needing to win to be assured of holding off Liverpool, City were in danger of blowing it as Matty Cash and former Reds star Philippe Coutinho struck at the Etihad Stadium.

Yet Pep Guardiola’s side showed all their champion quality to rally with Ilkay Gundogan coming off the bench to score twice either side of a superb Rodri strike in a remarkable five-minute spell.

City had known that second-placed Liverpool, trailing by just a point, could overtake them with victory over Wolves and there were times in the afternoon when they lived on their nerves.

When they trailed by two, Liverpool were being held 1-1 and news of another goal at Anfield at that stage, could have been a hammer blow.

Yet in remarkable final-day drama, City cast off the shackles of a dismal first-half display to turn the game around and render Liverpool’s eventual win academic.

There were few signs of nerves, or the tension to follow, as the game kicked off amid a joyous and raucous atmosphere.

City supporters had given their team a rousing welcome outside the stadium and there was a feeling celebrations were almost getting under way as news filtered through of an early Wolves goal.

City were boosted by the return of John Stones from injury but, with Kyle Walker fit enough only for the bench, he lined up at right-back.

Fernandinho, making his final City appearance, continued in his role as a makeshift centre-back alongside Aymeric Laporte with Joao Cancelo on the left.

It made for an uncomfortable-looking back four, and so it proved, but it was City who made most of the early running.

Cancelo had a couple of efforts blocked after good runs and Gabriel Jesus almost embarrassed debutant Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen when he charged down a clearance. Phil Foden also rolled a shot narrowly wide after a Kevin De Bruyne counter-attack.

Villa, who were warned about time-wasting early on by referee Michael Oliver, grew into the game and took a shock lead eight minutes before the interval.

Lucas Digne, the former Everton full-back, broke clear down the left and clipped in a fine cross from the byline. Cash, running in from the opposite side, met it with a firm header that Ederson could not keep out.

With Liverpool having now equalised against Wolves, the mood was transformed. City were stunned and suddenly looked vulnerable.

Fernandinho looked particularly shaky as Watkins twice threatened, first having a shot blocked and then being denied by a back-tracking Stones.

The interval came at a good time for City and it was no surprise that Fernandinho did not return for the second half. Oleksandr Zinchenko took his place and the back line was reshaped.

City upped the tempo and Jesus should have equalised when picked out at the back post by Cancelo but volleyed over.

Yet Villa were in stubborn mood and repelled wave after wave of further attacks with captain Tyrone Mings standing tall.

De Bruyne went close with a dipping free-kick but City were caught out by a long clearance upfield by Olsen, which Watkins headed on to Coutinho.

The Brazilian’s first touch was exquisite and completely wrong-footed Laporte, exposing Ederson at the near post. The goal still took some finishing but Coutinho kept his cool and found the bottom corner.

Villa manager Steven Gerrard was more than doing his job for former club Liverpool and this was now a serious test of City’s mettle, but they rallied.

De Bruyne first blasted over before substitutes Raheem Sterling and Gundogan combined to pull one back on 76 minutes. The German had a free header at the back post after being picked out by Sterling and made no mistake.

With their tails now up, City pressed again and moments later levelled as Zinchenko picked out Rodri on the edge of the area and the Spaniard stroked the ball into the bottom corner.

There was more to come with Gundogan again in the right place at the back post as De Bruyne whipped in a good ball.

The comeback was complete and, even though an equaliser from Villa could have changed the picture again, it never looked like happening as City celebrated another league crown.

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HEUNG-MIN SON’S BRACE HELP SPURS THRASH NORWICH TO SECURE UCL SPOT

Tottenham booked their return to the Champions League with a 5-0 rout at relegated Norwich where Son Heung-min earned a share of the Premier League Golden Boot.

Son scored twice in five second-half minutes to finish level with Liverpool’s Mohamad Salah on 23 goals as Spurs ran riot to complete an achievement that boss Antonio Conte had described as needing a “miracle”.

Tottenham were ninth when the Italian took over in November and then seven points adrift of fourth when they lost to Burnley in February but 10 wins from their next 14 games saw them overhaul Arsenal, Manchester United and West Ham.

Dejan Kulusevski scored twice and Harry Kane also bagged as Spurs made sure there would be no last-day failure at Carrow Road.

They will return to the premier European club competition after two seasons away and the future looks bright if they can get Conte to commit his future to the club this summer.

Norwich are heading in the opposite direction after another listless display left their home fans chanting against the board and they will have to regroup in the summer ahead of another stint in the Championship.

It never looked like it would be a case of the north London club being ‘Spursy’ as Conte’s side started confidently.

They had an early chance to ease their nerves inside the opening 10 minutes as a quick counter-attack saw Kulusevski cut back to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who blazed over when he should have scored.

That did not matter, though, as they went ahead in the 16th minute.

Hojbjerg’s ball over the top played in Rodrigo Bentancur and as he raced in on goal the midfielder squared for Kulusevski to tap in from close range.

Norwich were almost gifted an equaliser as a sloppy Eric Dier pass allowed Milot Rashica in on goal but he shot wide.

Instead, it was a poor pass at the other end that led to a goal as Spurs doubled their lead just after the half-hour.

Goalkeeper Tim Krul was playing out from the back, but he passed straight to Bentancur, who crossed for Kane to head into an empty net.

Qualifying for the Champions League was the primary goal for Spurs, but the second was for Son to overhaul Salah in the race for the Golden Boot.

He spurned a good chance in the first half as he chose to attempt a first-time volley at the far post when he had time to bring it down.

For large periods of the second half it looked like he would miss out on the silverware as he missed three golden chances.

First he saw an effort palmed away by Krul, who then produced a miraculous save to deny the South Korean from close range after a telepathic cross by Kane.

Then moments later, Kulusevski barged through on goal, rounded Krul and – with an empty net to shoot at – attempted to square to Son, who was tackled by Max Aarons.

The Swede was not going to make the same mistake as two minutes later he out-muscled a defender following Kane’s pass, cut inside and then curled a sublime effort into the far top corner.

Five minutes then changed the course of Son’s afternoon as he scored twice.

After again being denied by Krul, he got another bite of the cherry as Lucas Moura popped off a quick pass and the South Korean found the bottom corner.

Then he put himself in the outright lead as he curled a trademark effort into the far corner from 20 yards to mark mass scenes of celebration.

Salah’s late goal at Anfield did not dampen the mood as Son’s and Spurs’ season ended on a high.

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EVERTON COME BACK TO SEAL PREMIER LEAGUE STAY IN CRYSTAL PALACE WIN

Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored a dramatic 85th-minute winner as Everton secured their Premier League status with a sensational comeback victory against Crystal Palace.

Richarlison’s 16th-minute free-kick clipped the bar as Everton started on the front foot.

Palace took the lead with on 21 minutes with Jean-Philippe Mateta’s header from an Eberechi Eze free-kick before Jordan Ayew bundled home their second goal 15 minutes later.

Everton needed a response and Michael Keane provided it with a thumping finish early in the second half to reduce the deficit.

Richarlison’s deflected shot hauled the Toffees level with a quarter of an hour left and, in an incredible finale, Calvert-Lewin sealed victory with a header from Demarai Gray’s free-kick.

Victory moves Everton four points clear of third-bottom Leeds United, with one match remaining.

Palace drop to 13th spot with 45 points.

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CHELSEA CLOSE ON THIRD PLACE DESPITE LEICESTER DRAW

Chelsea all but guaranteed themselves a third-place finish in the Premier League courtesy of a 1-1 draw with Leicester City at Stamford Bridge.

James Maddison fired Leicester into a sixth-minute lead from the edge of the penalty area before Marcos Alonso met a Reece James cross on the volley to restore parity on 34 minutes.

The hosts upped the ante after the interval with Romelu Lukaku heading wide, Christian Pulisic missing from close range and Antonio Rudiger being thwarted in a frenetic six-minute spell.

Further chances fell to Trevor Chalobah and James but the hosts were unable to find a winner.

The result takes Chelsea’s points to 71, three more than Tottenham Hotspur with the Blues boasting a superior goal difference.

Leicester stay ninth with 49 points from 37 matches.

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EINTRACHT FRANKFURT BEAT RANGERS IN SHOOTOUT TO WIN EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL

Eintracht Frankfurt won the Europa League final after holding their nerve to beat Rangers 5-4 in a clinical penalty shootout as they claimed their first European trophy in 42 years.

Eintracht keeper Kevin Trapp saved Aaron Ramsey’s spot kick — Rangers’ fourth — while Eintracht were flawless in their execution, scoring all five after the game had finished 1-1 after 120 minutes.

Joe Aribo had struck against the run of play in the 57th minute to give Rangers the lead, charging clear after a string of defensive errors and sliding the ball past Trapp.

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SEVILLE, Spain, May 18 (Reuters) – Eintracht Frankfurt won the Europa League final after holding their nerve to beat Rangers 5-4 in a clinical penalty shootout as they claimed their first European trophy in 42 years.

Eintracht keeper Kevin Trapp saved Aaron Ramsey’s spot kick — Rangers’ fourth — while Eintracht were flawless in their execution, scoring all five after the game had finished 1-1 after 120 minutes.

Joe Aribo had struck against the run of play in the 57th minute to give Rangers the lead, charging clear after a string of defensive errors and sliding the ball past Trapp.

The Germans, unbeaten in the competition going into the final and eyeing their first European title since 1980, bounced back as Rafael Borre snuck in between two defenders to turn in a Filip Kostic cross in the 70th.

“We played 13 matches in Europe and we did not lose a single one,” said Eintracht coach Oliver Glasner.

“We took it step-by-step and at the end we were rewarded. I have no words to express what I feel for the players,” added the Austrian, whose side will now compete in next season’s Champions League despite finishing in 11th place in the Bundesliga.

Frankfurt are the first Bundesliga team to win the Europa League, or its predecessor the UEFA Cup, since 1997, when Schalke beat Inter Milan on penalties.

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LIVERPOOL BEAT CHELSEA ON PENALTIES TO WIN FA CUP FINAL

Alisson Becker was the spot-kick hero as Liverpool secured another penalty shoot-out triumph against Chelsea to win the FA Cup and keep their quest for an unprecedented quadruple alive.

Just 76 days after the Reds edged past Thomas Tuchel’s men on penalties following a scoreless Carabao Cup final, Wembley witnessed another gripping clash between these sides that went down to the wire.

Nothing could split them after 90 minutes and extra time again, with Alisson coming up trumps in the shoot-out as Liverpool won their first FA Cup since 2006.

Edouard Mendy prevented Sadio Mane striking the winner after Cesar Azpilicueta had hit the post, only for the Brazil goalkeeper to deny Mason Mount before Kostas Tsimikas struck to seal a 6-5 win.

While the quadruple may eventually prove out of reach given Manchester City’s Premier League advantage, Jurgen Klopp’s Reds still have a shot at Champions League glory to come as a superb season heads towards a memorable conclusion.

Wembley was rocking to Liverpool’s beat at full-time, just as it was in the opening minutes as they flew out the blocks.

But Chelsea saw out the early storm and began to ask questions at the other end in a first half that saw Reds star Mohamed Salah limp off injured.

Marcos Alonso’s audacious free-kick hit the bar during a rampant Chelsea start to a topsy-turvy second period, which ended with Luis Diaz and Andrew Robertson striking the post for Liverpool.

That pulsating half made way for a tepid period of extra time between exhausted sides that raised themselves for penalties, which ended with red smoke and Liverpool cheers filling the air.

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PHILIPPE COUTINHO COMPLETES £17 MILLION MOVE TO ASTON VILLA

Philippe Coutinho has completed a permanent switch to Aston Villa from Barcelona in a deal the LaLiga giants announced was worth 20million euros (£17m).

Coutinho arrived at Villa Park in January for a loan stint after being deemed surplus to requirements at Barcelona, who confirmed the ex-Liverpool playmaker’s move includes a 50 per cent sell-on clause.

The Brazilian scored four times and contributed three assists in his first six matches at Villa and, although none of those have been in his last eight games, the club were determined to keep hold of him.

Villa head coach Steven Gerrard revealed last weekend that he was eager to sign a player he captained at Liverpool permanently and the 29-year-old has put pen to paper on a deal that runs until 2026.

“This is a brilliant signing for Aston Villa,” Gerrard said on the club’s website. “Phil is a model professional and his impact on the group has been very clear since he joined in January.

“With the way he conducts himself on and off the pitch, he’s also a valuable role model for our younger players who can only benefit from his experience.

“As we look to build towards next season, it is incredible to work at a club that executes its business so decisively and smoothly.”

Coutinho joined Barcelona from Liverpool in 2018 in a deal worth £146million but, despite helping the Spanish club to two league titles, he spent the 2019-20 season on loan at Bayern Munich.

Only in flashes did he show the form that made him such a hot property on Merseyside, scoring 26 goals in 106 appearances for the Catalan club.

Coutinho, who has been capped 67 times by Brazil and was part of the side that won the 2019 Copa America, has made 16 appearances in the second half of this season for Villa.

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RAMPANT TOTTENHAM THUMP SORRY ARSENAL TO BLOW RACE FOR TOP FOUR WIDE OPEN

Tottenham kept their Champions League hopes alive as they put 10-man Arsenal to the sword with a 3-0 victory in a pulsating north London derby.

Victory for the Gunners would have booked them a top-four spot, but Antonio Conte’s men were never going to let that happen on their own patch.

Spurs’ motto emblazoned in the stands before the game was ‘Dare, Dream, Do’ and they delivered in style as Harry Kane continued his love affair with this fixture by scoring twice and partner in crime Son Heung-min added another.

Kane’s brace, which took him to 13 north London derby goals in just 17 games, came in the space of a 15-minute first-half spell in which Arsenal threw the game away.

They conceded a needless penalty in the 22nd minute, which Kane emphatically converted, then Rob Holding picked up a second yellow card before the England captain doubled the lead four minutes later.

Son’s goal, which took him to 21 for the season, came early in the second half and killed the game as the Spurs fans enjoyed their evening.

Despite the chastening night, Champions League football next season is still in Arsenal’s hands as they remain a point above Tottenham with two games left and, if they beat Newcastle and Everton, they will be assured of a return to the top tier of European club competition for the first time since 2017.

This was the first time this fixture had been played at Tottenham’s new stadium in front of a full crowd and the atmosphere did not disappoint as a frantic opening 15 minutes was greeted with a wall of noise.

The tone was set for an ill-tempered affair early on, with both teams guilty of cynical challenges, so it was little surprise that another foul led to a decisive moment in the game.

Dejan Kulusevski cut inside and sent a cross in which found its way to the back post where Cedric Soares clumsily barged Son over, with referee Paul Tierney pointing to the spot.

The result from the penalty was a formality as Kane sent Aaron Ramsdale the wrong way, sending the home crowd into euphoria and continuing the striker’s excellent scoring record against the Gunners.

Arsenal’s indiscipline has been a key feature of Mikel Arteta’s reign and again it reared its ugly head as Holding let his side down in the 33rd minute.

Having been booked seven minutes earlier for a cynical foul on Son, he did not learn his lesson as he blatantly obstructed the South Korean, barging him with his shoulder, and was rightly given his marching orders.

It was the 13th red card of Arteta’s time in charge, five more than any other Premier League team in that period.

Spurs sensed blood and took further control of the game four minutes later by going 2-0 up.

Rodrigo Bentancur got to Son’s corner first, flicking it on to the back post where Kane stooped low to head home from close range.

The hosts wanted more and Kane, eyeing a first north London derby hat-trick, had a goalbound shot blocked and Emerson Royal scooped over at the far post when it seemed easier to score.

Any thoughts Tottenham might ease off in the second half were put to bed within two minutes as Son made it three.

Kane turned Gabriel, who was able to recover and get a toe to the ball, but could only poke it to Son, who cleverly clipped the ball home.

Spurs threatened to run riot and really embarrass their rivals and only a couple of smart stops from Ramsdale prevented that.

First, the England goalkeeper got down to keep out Emerson’s header and then he palmed away a swerving Kane shot.

Son could have moved level with Mohamed Salah in the Golden Boot race on 22 goals but he clipped over from Ryan Sessegnon’s centre when the goal was gaping.

With less than 72 hours until they are next in action against Burnley at 12pm on Sunday, Conte’s men played within themselves for the final quarter of the game and saw a famous night out in style.