Juventus wrap up record 102-point scudetto as Roma crumble

A stunning Andrea Pirlo free-kick from 35 metres set Juventus up for a 3-0 win over Cagliari and a record 102-point finish in Serie A as the champions celebrated in style on Sunday. Juve claimed the Serie A title with two games to spare two weeks ago when closest challengers Roma crashed 4-1 at Catania, a day before Juve celebrated at home with a 1-0 home win over Atalanta. Now with 30 official titles -- the club were stripped of 'scudetti' won in 2005 and 2006 due to their role in a match-fixing scandal -- Juve went on to set two new records last week when a 1-0 win away to Roma gave them a 32nd win of the season and a 99-point tally. Inter Milan had held the previous record of 97 points for a title-winning season under the current format in 2007. Faced with the chance to become the first league champions to claim 100 points or more, Antonio Conte's men did not disappoint a packed-out Juventus Stadium ahead of their celebratory parade around Turin. Pirlo helped the Bianconeri get off the mark when he launched a free-kick from distance which came off the post and bounced back into the net after coming off hapless 'keeper Marco Silvestri, who was later credited with an own goal. That eased the early nerves and, with Cagliari shell-shocked, Fernando Llorente tapped home a second on the quarter hour when a Pirlo corner was flicked on by Leonardo Bonucci as the visiting defence failed to clear. Carlos Tevez then spurned the chance to close to within one goal of Serie A's leading scorer Ciro Immobile, who has 22 goals for Torino, when he was closed down as he prepared to pull the trigger. Juve, however, were 3-0 to the good before half-time when Italy midfielder Claudio Marchisio controlled well in the area to send a volley past Silvestri. Juventus's 33rd win of the campaign gave them a 17-point lead over closest challengers Roma, who finished their season with a third consecutive defeat, 1-0 away to Genoa, who had Giannis Fetfatzidis to thank for an 83rd-minute winner. Elsewhere, already-relegated Catania claimed a consolation 2-1 victory over visiting Atalanta with Gonzalo Bergessio netting a 90th-minute winner from the spot for the Sicilians. On Sunday night Torino, Parma, AC Milan and Verona are battling for sixth spot and a place in the Europa League. Sixth place will be good enough to qualify for Europe because Italian Cup winners Napoli have qualified for the Champions League and Fiorentina, the beaten finalists, are already guaranteed a Europa League place themselves via Serie A. Torino and Verona arguably have the toughest tasks away to Fiorentina and Napoli respectively, while Parma host Livorno and Milan host Sassuolo. If teams finish on equal points, they will first be separated by the results of direct encounters, then goal difference. Source: AFP