MILAN (AFP) – Europe’s most dramatic title race will finally reach its climax tomorrow when AC Milan take the field at Sassuolo ready to end an 11-year Scudetto drought and announce their return to the top table.
Stefano Pioli’s side are two points ahead of reigning champions Inter Milan and only need to draw to claim their first league crown since 2011, and they look almost guaranteed to do so after a hugely impressive run-in.
Consecutive wins over tricky opponents Lazio, Fiorentina and Verona were followed up by last weekend’s 2-0 home victory over Atalanta, after which a packed San Siro celebrated as though the title was already theirs.
Pioli has an almost full squad to pick from against a team which beat Milan 3-1 earlier in the season and will have the backing of an estimated 18,000 fans at the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia for a title party which will then spill back into Milan.
The problem is where they will be able to celebrate. Milan’s iconic Piazza del Duomo is where fans gather for triumphs but tonight the square hosts a concert and a huge stage has been erected which cannot be completely taken down before the end of tomorrow’s matches.
As of Thursday afternoon there was still no confirmed plan from the city’s public order bodies of when and where to hold celebrations, as the only other viable location is the San Siro and that will be where over 70,000 Inter fans will party should Milan fail at the last.
