Rome  - Coach Marco Tardelli didn't miss the obvious but highly ironic truth about the Serie A title that his former side Inter Milan secured late Saturday without even being on the pitch.

"The funny thing is that it was (AC) Milan to give Inter the scudetto," he said during a Radio 2 show after the Devils suffered a 2-1 defeat at Udinese that triggered the celebrations of city-rival fans.

With only two games left to play, second-placed Milan have no chances to close a seven-point gap with Inter and will now look to retain a berth to secure direct access to the next Champions League.

Inter's fourth straight title was a great gift for Massimo Moratti on his 64th birthday, which he celebrated with the team and coach Jose Mourinho at the club's countryside training centre in Appiano Gentile.

"I'm happy because this is a special moment," said Inter's Argentine captain Javier Zanetti. "We deserved it because we demonstrated to be the best team. This president deserves this gift and also the fans do."

As Inter players sprayed sparkling wine on fans gathered outside the training camp, where Inter are gearing up for Sunday's home game with Siena, caravans of honking cars began crowding the streets of Milan for a night-long outdoor party.

It was a night of triumph also for Jose Mourinho, the Portuguese star coach who arrived last summer at Inter to replace Roberto Mancini.

Mourinho now boasts five titles in three different European leagues, including the Portuguese with Porto and the English with Chelsea.

In all the three leagues the self-appointed "Special One" was successful at his first attempt, and in Italy he had already won the Italian Supercup before the league's start.

There was widespread praise for him among television and radio commentators, and the coaches of both Udinese and Milan, Pasquale Marino and Carlo Ancelotti, cast no doubts on the strength of Inter.

But some radio listeners, obviously not Inter fans, decidedly played down the blue-blacks' triumph.

Some pointed out that a powerhouse like Inter has little to brag about dominating a league that has gradually lost appeal and had all its sides eliminated from the Champions League at the knock-out stage.

"With such a team, they should have won everything that was available," one caller said.

Tardelli, who is now the assistant coach of veteran Giovanni Trapattoni on Ireland's bench, noted that there have been negative comments "about the kind of game (Mourinho's) team expressed. But I agree that he fine-tuned the team. He made clear that he was in charge, and he should be praised because winning the title is never easy."

As other comments hinged on the weight of Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic - is he worth half or more of Inter's offensive power? - there were few doubts about the future goals of the club.

The scudetto is fine, but Moratti and the fans now feel that it's time to win the coveted continental title, which the club last won - back-to-back - in the 1960s. (dpa)