AC Milan – Bologna: The Drought Is Over For A Club On The Rise (0-1)

Fifty-one years since their previous trophy win, Bologna lifted the Coppa Italia after a game that they controlled in a number of different ways.

Tactical analysis and match report by Joel Parker.

The 77th Coppa Italia final posed quite a curious matchup. Two teams outside the top six, but one was about to finish a long streak since their last triumph: Milan in 2003 and Bologna in 1974.

Vicenzo Italiano has not ironed out structural issues, but wherever he has gone, he has put teams into better positions. He promoted Spezia from Serie B, got Fiorentina into three finals (two European) in three years, and has now put Bologna in a golden position. Their route to the final saw an impressive scalp over Atalanta in Bergamo, before comfortably seeing off Empoli in both legs of the semi-final.

In the chaotic world of Milan, two trophies might still not be enough to see Sérgio Conceição next season. Milan started the season wanting to close the gap on Internazionale, after finishing runner-up in Serie A and losing six consecutive derbies. They may have succeeded in this task, knocking them out of this year’s semi-final after two legs, but it is everywhere else that they have declined. A win not only guarantees a trophy, but a place in next year’s Europa League, which Bologna and Milan are just outside of those places in the standings. 

The quirk of the fixture list put both these teams . . .