ARTURO VIDAL’S 10th league goal of the season was enough to secure a 1-0 win over Palermo and help ten-man Juventus to their 29th Serie A title.
Juventus now have a 14-point lead over second-placed Napoli, who, even in the event of a win over Inter Milan later Sunday, can not overtake the Turin giants in the final three games of the season.
Chilean international Vidal had been Juve’s top scorer this season, the attacking midfielder scoring nine in the league and 14 in all competitions prior to Sunday’s encounter at Juventus Stadium.
When the hosts were awarded a penalty just before the hour after midfielder Massimo Donati fouled Bianconeri striker Mirko Vucinic in the area, Vidal stepped up to beat Stefano Sorrentino in the Palermo goal.
Vidal was cautioned for over-exuberant celebrations but the goal sent Juventus Stadium into raptures.
Juve’s title celebrations were tinged by the late sending-off of French midfielder Paul Pogba, who saw red seven minutes from the final whistle after spitting at Salvatore Aronica following a shouting match with the defender.
Juventus, who won the title in 2012 after being unbeaten in the league the entire season, have lost only four times this campaign. It’s Juve’s 31st scudetto but two were stripped from them after the calciopoli scandal so, officially, it’s their 29th.
The Turin giants have now secured one of two spots in Serie A which offer direct qualification for next season’s Champions League, with Napoli poised to claim the runners-up spot.
AC Milan, currently third, boosted their chances of claiming the last Champions League third spot afteran 84th-minute winner from Mario Balotelli secured a 1-0 home win over Torino.
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