Bologna achieved a historic victory in Rome, claiming their first Coppa Italia title since 1974 – their third overall. They defeated Christian Pulisic`s AC Milan 1-0 in the final. This win is a significant moment for Joey Saputo, the Canadian owner who acquired the club in 2014. Bologna`s last trophy was the 1998 Intertoto Cup.
Coach Vincenzo Italiano`s side secured the win courtesy of Dan Ndoye`s second-half goal, making him the match hero. Italiano finally lifted a trophy in his debut season with Bologna after losing three finals while managing Fiorentina. AC Milan (the Rossoneri), despite winning the Supercoppa Italiana and eliminating rivals Inter in the Coppa Italia semis, might miss out on European football next season. This is because winning the Coppa Italia grants Bologna a Europa League spot. Milan still has a possibility of reaching the Champions League if they finish in the top four of Serie A.
Currently, it remains uncertain whether American international Pulisic will participate in European competition in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
While Bologna celebrates their first major trophy in half a century – adding to last season`s Champions League qualification milestone – AC Milan must now analyze their future steps.
The club, owned by American businessman Gerry Cardinale, is expected to appoint their third manager in under a year within the coming weeks. Current Portuguese manager Sergio Conceicao is unlikely to continue after the season concludes. The Rossoneri need to address the issues from this season, as there`s a chance they could be absent from all European tournaments during the 2025-26 campaign.
They are currently positioned eighth in Serie A, needing points in the final league matches to potentially secure any European spot.
