AC Milan and Bologna meet in the Coppa Italia final on Wednesday, 14 May at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. With European places on the line, the trophy is seen by both clubs as the most practical path into the continental competitions, given their league form.
For Milan, currently mid-table, it offers a chance to salvage a disappointing season, while Bologna, sitting fourth, hope the Cup provides its reward even as they push for Champions League qualification. The stakes are high. Milan have not won this trophy since 2003, whereas Bologna have not lifted a national title since their 1974 triumph, a 51-year gap.
Each side reached the final through convincing semi-final wins. Bologna saw off Empoli 5-1 on aggregate, beating them 2-1 at the Renato Dall’Ara in the second leg. Milan booked their place with a 4-1 aggregate win over city rivals Inter, with two goals from Luka Jović helping secure a 3-0 second-leg victory. In both ties, the winners had established first-leg advantages, setting up a first-ever Coppa Italia final between Milan and Bologna.
Milan’s squad is near full strength. Winger Rafael Leão, returning from a one-match suspension, and holding midfielder Youssouf Fofana, back from a knock, are both available. Christian Pulisic will provide creativity on the flank and scored in the previous Milan–Bologna league meeting. Up front, the Rossoneri have options in Danish striker Santiago Giménez and Serbian forward Luka Jović. Giménez scored twice as a substitute in the 3-1 league win over Bologna, and Jović scored both goals in the semi against Inter. In defence, Fikayo Tomori, recently injured in a collision, is expected to be fit, anchoring a back three alongside Matteo Gabbia and Strahinja Pavlović, with wing-backs Theo Hernandez and Alex Jiménez. Coach Stefano Pioli’s men typically set up in a 3-4-3. The Portuguese coach has already added an unlikely Supercoppa title to Milan’s cabinet this year.
Bologna’s lineup will revolve around the form of their key attackers. Italian international Riccardo Orsolini, with 15 goals this season, will be a constant threat cutting in from the right. Dutch striker Thijs Dallinga, scorer of the winner against Empoli, is expected to spearhead the attack. The midfield double pivot is likely to feature veteran Remo Freuler and Lewis Ferguson. On the flanks, Bologna can also call on players like Dan Ndoye and Benjamin Domínguez to support Orsolini. Defensively, veteran goalkeeper Łukasz Skorupski should start, with a back four possibly including Davide Calabria or Lorenzo De Silvestri at right-back and Juan Miranda at left-back. Manager Vincenzo Italiano is known for possession-based, high-pressing football, and he will set his team up in a 4-2-3-1 shape that has brought them success this season.
Managerial context adds spice to the match. Milan’s coach, who succeeded Fonseca over the winter, has already delivered one trophy, the Supercoppa, and faces intense pressure. Several reports indicate he will leave at the end of the season regardless of the result.
Bologna’s Italiano, meanwhile, is contesting his seventh career final and his fourth in two years, having guided Fiorentina to three consecutive finals only to lose each one. He has tried to turn that into motivation, insisting this is another story and vowing to make their people proud in Rome. Both coaches will have the match fully in mind, but they have also hinted that thoughts will turn quickly to summer plans as soon as this night is over.
Injury news is sparse. Milan have no fresh concerns aside from the ongoing absences of youngster Warren Bondo and winger Riccardo Sottil due to ankle and thigh injuries. Key men Leão, Fofana and Tomori trained in the final build-up and are expected to start. Bologna likewise report a fully-fit squad, with all their big names available. In short, the teams can each field their strongest elevens.
History hangs in the balance. A win for Milan would give them a sixth Coppa Italia, their fifth came in 2003, and some late-season silverware. A win for Bologna would be momentous. It would end a 51-year wait for a trophy and deliver the city its first major title in over half a century. Both sides see the Cup as their best ticket back to Europe, which underlines how much they have staked on this one match. In their recent encounter on 9 May, Bologna had taken the lead through Orsolini before Pulisic and Giménez, with two goals, turned the game around for Milan, a reminder that this final will not lack drama or high-quality moments.
Key quotes ahead of the final include Italiano rallying his players by noting past final defeats but stressing that this is another story and that the team will give their all for the city’s fans. Milan’s camp, meanwhile, highlights that a trophy would justify the coach’s appointment after a tough season.
