Juventus snatch dramatic title

Juventus are Italian champions again

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Juventus emerged from a three-horse race to steal Serie A's Scudetto on a dramatic final day of action in the Italian league.

A 2-0 win at Udinese saw Juve overhaul Inter, who began the day in the driving seat.

But a 4-2 defeat by Lazio in Rome's Olympic Stadium saw Inter slip down to third as Roma nipped in for second place with a 1-0 win at Torino.

The club known as the Grand Old Lady of Italian football clinched a 26th championship and like Arsenal in England and Holland's Ajax, have their sights on a domestic league and cup double.

  Serie A top three

1 Juventus P34 71Pts

2 Roma P34 70 Pts

3 Inter Milan P34 69 Pts

Juve now face Parma in the Coppa d'Italia final, while Inter have to enter the Champions League at the qualifying stage.

The Zebras got off to a flying start at Udinese where French striker David Trezeguet headed home his 24th goal of the season from Antonio Conte's cross after just two minutes.

Alessandro del Piero doubled Juve's lead on nine minutes, his cool finish rounding off a swift counter-attack.

Inter responded in Rome, where Christian Vieri took advantage as Lazio's veteran keeper Angelo Peruzzi dropped a corner at his feet, to put his side ahead on 12 minutes.

Lazio drew level on 20 minutes through Karel Poborsky, but the Nerazzuri were in front and back on top of the table four minutes later when Luigi di Biagio headed home Alvaro Recoba's corner.

Christian Vieri shows his anguish as Inter Milan miss out

Inter contributed to their own downfall, though, when a defensive error from Vratislav Gresko gifted Poborsky a second on the stroke of half-time.

Argentine international and former Inter midfielder Diego Simeone headed Lazio in front ten minutes into the second-half.

As Inter's title hopes slipped away, Simone Inzaghi exposed their weakness in the air at the back by heading Lazio's fourth.

While Inter's second-half misery was unfolding in Rome, in Friuli Juventus were holding on comfortably to their first-half lead to stroll to the title.

To complete Inter's misery, Roma stole the second Champions League, first round phase spot with a 1-0 win over Torino in the Stadio dell'Alpi, thanks to Antonio Cassano's 68th minute goal.

Contrasting fortunes

Inter seemed certain to win their first Scudetto since 1989 as they held a six-point lead only a few weeks ago, but a series of stumbles let Juve in to steal the title.

Cross-town rivals AC Milan will also enter the Champions League at the qualifying stage next season after a 3-0 win at already-relegated Lecce.

The city of Verona enjoyed contrasting fortunes as upstarts Chievo clinched European football in their first season in Serie A.

While the little club known as the Flying Donkeys were joining Lazio and Parma in next season's Uefa Cup, Verona's 3-0 defeat at Piacenza saw them relegated as Brescia scored a shock 3-0 win over Uefa Cup hopefuls Bologna to leap to safety.

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Serie A results

Brescia 3 Bologna 0
Chievo 2 Atalanta 1
Lazio 4 Inter Milan 2
AC Milan 3 Lecce 0
Parma 2 Venezia 1
Perugia 2 Fiorentina 0
Piacenza 3 Verona 0
Torino 0 AS Roma 1
Udinese 0 Juventus 2