MILAN (AP) — Inter Milan could be crowned Serie A champion before it even kicks a ball against Parma on Sunday.
Cristian Chivu's side holds a 10-point advantage over second-placed Napoli and 12 over AC Milan, with four rounds remaining. A home win on Sunday night would guarantee Inter the title.
A point could even suffice depending on Napoli and Milan results. However, the Nerazzurri would also claim the trophy if Napoli loses atComo on Saturday and Milan fails to beat Sassuolo hours before Inter kicks off at San Siro.
Chivu Eyes First Trophy as Manager
"I know what players go through, how they experience these situations and what it means to play for Inter," said Chivu, part of Inter's famous treble-winning team in 2010. "You have to embrace them, always tell the truth and remain consistent."
The former defender added: "We've had a strong season: 25 wins, 80 league goals and more than 100 in total. That's not easy to achieve, and credit goes to the players for embracing everything we asked."
It would be a first managerial trophy for Chivu, whose only previous senior coaching experience was 13 matches in charge of Parma at the end of last season.
Inter Eyes League-Cup Double
Inter could win the league and cup double as it faces Lazio in the Italian Cup final on May 13.
Champions League Race Heats Up
Fourth-placed Juventus sits only three points above Como and Roma. Juve trails third-placed Milan by just three points.
Juventus hosts relegation-threatened Hellas Verona on Sunday, while Roma welcomes Fiorentina on Monday.
Relegation Battle Intensifies
Pisa will be mathematically relegated if it fails to beat Lecce, which holds the last safety spot.
Cremonese sits just one point below Lecce and hosts Lazio on Monday. Verona is 10 points behind Lecce.
Dimarco Sets Assist Record
Inter midfielder Federico Dimarco broke the record for most assists in a single Serie A season, setting up both goals in a 2-2 draw at Torino.
His tally reached 18 this campaign. Teammate Lautaro Martínez will aim to return from injury and benefit from Dimarco's crosses.
Lautaro has missed eight of the past nine league matches with a calf problem, scoring twice in a brief appearance against Roma. The World Cup winner returned to training Wednesday.
Modric Facing Extended Absence
Milan midfielder Luka Modric will miss the final four rounds after breaking his cheekbone against Juventus last weekend.
The Croatia captain underwent surgery Monday and faces a race to recover for the World Cup. Modric has been one of Milan's best players this season.
Refereeing Scandal Rocks Italian Soccer
Gianluca Rocchi, head of referees in Serie A and Serie B, has been placed under criminal investigation for alleged sports fraud.
VAR supervisor Andrea Gervasoni was also under investigation, appearing in court in Milan on Thursday.
Allegations claim Rocchi influenced VAR decisions and assigned referees favored by Inter for some games in 2024-25. No players or directors from Inter or any other club have been implicated.