Inter Milan secured a fifth straight Serie A title after Diego Milito scored the only goal in a 1-0 win at Siena on Sunday as AS Roma finished second, two points behind, despite their 2-0 win at Chievo.
It was Inter's 18th scudetto crown and keeps Jose Mourinho's team on course for a historic treble, having already won the Italian Cup and with the Champions League final against Bayern Munich to come in Madrid on May 22.
Roma had the chance to be champions but they had to win and hope Inter didn't.
They briefly dreamed of lifting the title when they opened a 2-0 lead by half-time at Chievo, but Milito's 57th-minute strike in Siena settled Inter's nerves. Inter captain Javier Zanetti insisted his team were worthy winners.
Siena gave sign from the off that they weren't going to lie down as Albin Ekdal profitted from space in the Inter defence left by the prone Marco Materazzi but under pressure from Maicon he slipped his shot wide with the outside of his right foot. Inter were soon in the ascendancy and first Mario Balotelli and then Milito shot just wide of the far post from the left. Siena goalkeeper Gianluca Curci then made a miraculous save from Milito's header from four yards out. Meanwhile in Verona, Roma captain Francesco Totti was wasting a glut of chances.
He hit the outside of the post with a fierce right foot shot and then had a double opportunity, but goalkeeper Lorenzo Squizzi kicked away his left foot shot while his effort with the right from the follow-up was cleared off the line. An inviting cross from Rodrigo Taddei then flashed across the six-yard box but neither Mirko Vucinic nor Totti could get a touch, the ball even passing between Totti's legs.
Back in Siena centre-back Walter Samuel's firm header was punched clear by Curci with Milito loitering. And after Inter keeper Julio Cesar saved a rasping Massimo Maccarone effort, Balotelli hit the bar with an acrobatic volley from Maicon's cross. In other games Sampdoria secured fourth place and Champions League football next season as Giampaolo Pazzini scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 home in over Napoli. Palermo had to settle for fifth placed and the Europa League despite their last gasp 2-1 win at Atalanta.