Bologna has claimed their third Coppa Italia title, and their first in 51 years (since 1974), with a 1-0 victory over Christian Pulisic`s AC Milan in the final held in Rome. This historic triumph marks a significant milestone under the ownership of Canadian businessman Joey Saputo, who took control of the club in 2014. Previously, the team`s last trophy was the Intertoto Cup back in 1998.
The decisive goal was scored in the second half by Dan Ndoye, making him the hero of the night. This win delivers a trophy for coach Vincenzo Italiano in his first season with Bologna, a relief after he had lost three previous finals as the manager of Fiorentina. For AC Milan, who had won the Supercoppa Italiana in January and eliminated rivals Inter in the Coppa Italia semifinals, this defeat has major implications. Bologna`s Coppa Italia victory secures them a spot in the Europa League next season, potentially leaving the Rossoneri out of European competition entirely, although Milan still retains a chance to qualify for the Champions League by finishing in the top four of Serie A.
The outcome means that the participation of American international Pulisic in European club football next season, just ahead of the 2026 World Cup hosted in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, remains uncertain.
As Bologna celebrates a first major title in half a century, adding to their achievement of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League last season, AC Milan must now engage in serious reflection about the future.
The club, owned by American businessman Gerry Cardinale, is anticipated to appoint their third manager in less than a year in the coming weeks, with Portuguese manager Sergio Conceicao widely expected not to continue after the current season concludes. The Rossoneri need to address what went wrong this season to avoid the possibility of missing out on all European tournaments during the 2025-26 campaign.
Currently positioned in eighth place in Serie A, Milan is in desperate need of points in the remaining matches of the season to have any hope of securing a European spot for next season.
Dominic Ashworth