Football: Juve put controversial past behind

Win Italian league after unassailable lead over Milan.

ROME: Coach Antonio Conte graciously side-stepped controversial talk about the number of titles Juventus have won after guiding his side to the scudetto crown with a 2-0 win over Cagliari on Sunday.

That, coupled with AC Milan’s 4-2 defeat by Inter in their city derby, ensured Juve cannot be caught at the top of Serie A with one match to go. According to the record books, it is Juve’s 28th title as they were stripped of their 2005 and 2006 wins for match-fixing. But while general manager Giuseppe Marotta continued to insist they have won 30 league championships, Conte chose instead to take a diplomatic line.

“For me it’s the first, the first I’ve won as coach,” said the man who won five titles at Juve as a player. “These are fantastic emotions. We really are happy. It’s all down to the players but honour also goes to those who have been beaten. Milan were very strong opponents.”

Juve have matched AC Milan’s record 42-match unbeaten run in all competitions and if Juve avoid defeat in their final match of the season at home to Atalanta, they will surpass that.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 8^th, 2012.