Inter Milan Held By Lazio At Title Party As Debt Deadline Looms, Sassuolo Down

Inter Milan were held to a 1-1 draw by Lazio at Sunday's Serie A title party at the San Siro as the champions get set to lift the trophy with a major debt deadline leaving their future uncertain. Denzel Dumfries secured a meaningless point for Inter with three minutes remaining by levelling Daichi Kamada's 32nd-minute opener for Lazio, who stay seventh but are level on 60 points with local rivals Roma who face Genoa in the day's late match. Simone Inzaghi's team will care little about the result as the Scudetto was sealed weeks ago, but the trophy ceremony will take place against an uneasy backdrop as the club could be repossessed within a matter of days.

What was supposed to be a weekend of celebration has been overshadowed by the Tuesday deadline for the repayment of around 395 million euros ($429 million) to US fund Oaktree.

A source told AFP on Saturday that it was "unlikely" that Inter's Chinese owners Suning would be able to fulfil its obligation to Oaktree. 

That means Oaktree could take control of the club in a similar manner to how AC Milan were acquired by another US fund, Elliott Management, six years ago.

Inter's sporting CEO Giuseppe Marotta put a brave face on the situation when speaking to broadcaster DAZN pre-match, saying that the club were in a "solid" position.

But a banner in the stands read "Thanks Steven", for president Steven Zhang, suggesting that fans have little faith in Suning staying on as owners.

Inter have won seven trophies, including two Serie A titles, and reached two European finals since Suning acquired the club in 2016.

Earlier, Sassuolo's 11-year stay in Serie A came to an end in dramatic fashion after they lost 2-0 to Cagliari and Udinese snatched a 1-1 draw with Empoli in the 14th