The Coppa Italia is set for the capital next month with the Stadio Olimpico hosting the showpiece on May 14. And while this SBOTOP observer feels it will be a battle between Bologna and Inter Milan, it would be foolhardy to write off their rivals and neighbours AC Milan.
The midweek Coppa Italia 2025 highlights showed exactly that and left the two giants from Milano all square after the first leg. Let us also remember, Milan showed in Saudi Arabia (when they travelled to the Middle East to compete in the Supercoppa Italiana and returned home with the silverware) that they have the beating of their compatriots. Wednesday night’s part one in the San Siro (Milan were classed as the home side at the ground they share), was a case in point and it took a powerful long range drive from the influential Hakan Calhanoglu to ensure the champions have parity after the first 90 minutes.
This was the fourth Milan derby of the season and Serie A leaders Inter have yet to win one, despite being 20 points better off than their city rivals in the Serie A standings. On the one-off occasion though, Milan are more than capable and former Chelsea forward Tammy Abraham – who netted the winner in the Italian Super Cup Final against Inter in January – opened the scoring early in the second half, firing right-footed across goalkeeper Josep Martinez into the bottom corner.
They may have been pegged back but this was a promising display for the Rossoneri, led from the back by goalkeeper Mike Maignan, a Frenchman who has come under scrutiny of late but is a player who can produce very important saves when called upon. He was helpless to prevent the equaliser, of course, from Calhanoglu who ensured that Inter have now scored in a record 15 consecutive Milan derbies. Simone Inzaghi’s men are largely a picture of stability and my money remains on them, although it will be worth assessing the Coppa Italia 2025 betting odds ahead of the second leg in three weeks’ time.
The other semi-final first leg may not have grabbed the same level of attention as events in Milan but, as far as both clubs are concerned, it was of equal importance and it’s Bologna who dominated at spirited Empoli to move one step closer to their first Italian Cup Final since 1974. That was the year of their second ever triumph in the competition and, despite losing a number of their best players last summer after qualifying for the Champions League, they have somehow managed to stay at the sharp end of the table. Almost 4,000 of their fans travelled to Tuscany in upbeat mood with genuine belief they could move one step closer to reaching a major cup final for the first time in 26 years.
It was 1999 when they last made the Coppa Italia final (they lost 2-1 to Parma) and 1974 when they last won it (they also triumphed in 1970). That optimism was rewarded with a showing which means it will be a shock if the club now does not reach the final for only the fourth time in its history. They certainly have one foot there after Dutch centre forward Thijs Dallinga netted twice to add to Riccardo Orsolini’s opener, extending Bologna’s winning streak to six matches across all competitions.
Perhaps that result should not be a surprise given Empoli, who barely escaped relegation last season, have yet to win a Serie A match in 2025, grabbing their only victory this year on penalties against Juventus in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals. Empoli had caused big shocks by also defeating Torino and Fiorentina en route to this stage but, realistically, if they can survive in the top flight, it will have been a successful season, although they will have to improve their Serie A form which has seen them scrape just four draws in the last 15 league contests.
The Rossoblu had drawn both Serie A games 1-1 with Empoli, but were dominant at the Stadio Castellani, an arena where manager Vincenzo Italiano had never won before in his coaching career. He is now targeting the fourth Cup Final of his career, helped by Dallinga who ended his goal drought which stretched more than two months. Italiano is proving himself to be a Cup specialist, participating in the Coppa Italia and Conference League Final with Fiorentina in 2023, then again the Conference League Final in 2024.
The main question now is, surely, which Milan giant awaits him and his players in Rome.
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