Category: Coppa Italia

Video: Juventus and Inter Presidents Agnelli and Zhang meet before Coppa Final

May 11, 2022

Inter President Steven Zhang and Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli met at the Bianconeri hotel in Rome this morning, hours before the Coppa Italia Final.

Juventus and Inter meet at the Stadio Olimpico at 20.00 UK time tonight. However, there was a preliminary gathering in the morning when Agnelli and Zhang met at the Grand Hotel Parco dei Principi, where the Bianconeri are staying.

A few Old Lady’s fans have been spotted outside the Juventus hotel, but no player has shown up yet. Despite the clubs’ rivalry on the pitch, Agnelli and Zhang are on very good terms and the Juventus’ No.1 often praised his Inter counterpart in the past.

Zehn Geschichten: Darum lohnt sich ein Blick auf Inter vs. Juventus

May 11, 2022

Wenn sich Inter Mailand und Juventus Turin an diesem Mittwochabend (21 Uhr, LIVE! bei kicker) im Finale der Coppa Italia gegenüberstehen, dann steht neben dem Titel auch Prestige auf dem Spiel. Und dazu individuelle Dinge.

Jubeltraube: Verteidigt Juventus beim Klassiker gegen Inter den Titel in der Coppa Italia?

Jubeltraube: Verteidigt Juventus beim Klassiker gegen Inter den Titel in der Coppa Italia?

picture alliance / AA

1. Der Klassiker: Inter und Juventus sind die beiden erfolgreichsten italienischen Klubs der Geschichte – und folglich seit langer, langer Zeit Rivalen. Seit den 60er Jahren hat sich der heute bekannte Zusatz “Derby d’Italia” etabliert, zumal sich die Mailänder und Turiner insgesamt schon weit über 200-mal in Pflichtspielen duelliert haben. Allein in der Serie A sind es 178 Partien (85 Juve-Siege, 45 Remis, 48 Inter-Erfolge).

2. Titelsammler: Die Alte Dame hat gegenüber den Nerazzurri aber deutlich mehr Titel gewonnen. Sind es in der Serie A schon ganze 36 Scudetti (Inter hat 19), gibt es an diesem Abend die Chance der Coppa-Titelverteidigung – und damit die Chance auf Erfolg Nummer 15. Für die Mailänder stehen im Pokal bis dato “nur” sieben Triumphe zu Buche, damit liegt der Traditionsklub auf Rang drei hinter der Roma (9).

3. Die Dirigenten: Auch in Sachen Trainer haben die Turiner statistisch die Nase vorn. Massimiliano Allegri hat mit Juventus schon fünf Scudetti sowie vier Pokalsiege gesammelt und zweimal das Champions-League-Finale erreicht (gegen Barcelona und Real verloren). Für Gegenüber Simone Inzaghi, der vor dieser Saison als Nachfolger von Antonio Conte zu Inter gekommen ist, steht mit Ex-Klub Lazio dagegen ein Coppa-Sieg zu Buche (2018/19).

4. Fragezeichen: Die Juve-Mannschaft hat in dieser Spielzeit viele Täler durchlaufen müssen (schwacher Serie-A-Start, verfrühtes CL-Aus). Immerhin ist zuletzt die erneute Qualifikation für die Königsklasse – das absolute Mindestziel – gelungen. Allegri befindet sich mit seinem Team inmitten eines Umbruchs, der mit dem Abgang von Cristiano Ronaldo kurz nach Saisonstart endgültig begonnen hat. Der Trainer dazu: “Es ist doch klar, dass es schwierig war, als Ronaldo nur drei Tage vor Ende des Sommertransferfensters gegangen ist. Federico Chiesa haben wir dann auch noch verloren (Kreuzband; Anm. d. Red.). Wir haben uns vielen Problemen stellen müssen. Wir haben mit der Champions-League-Qualifikation aber ein wichtiges Ziel erreicht und versuchen nun einfach weiter, uns zu verbessern.”

5. Abschied I: Eines der Juve-Probleme ist auch wieder einmal Paulo Dybala (28) gewesen. Der 2015 aus Palermo gekommene Argentinier, über dessen fußballerische Qualitäten es keine Zweifel gibt (u.a. zehn Serie-A-Tore, fünf Vorlagen in dieser Saison), hat einmal mehr oft verletzt oder angeschlagen gefehlt. Das hat nach langen Diskussionen am Ende nicht zu einer Vertragsverlängerung geführt. So hat “La Joya” nach fünf errungenen Meisterschaften und vier Pokalsiegen mit diesem Coppa-Finale nur noch diese letzte Chance auf einen Titel mit Juve.


Paulo Dybala

Zwei Geschichten und eine Gewissheit: Der spielerisch starke und oft verletzte Paulo Dybala verlässt die Juve.

6. Offenes Ziel: Apropos! Wohin es Dybala in der neuen Saison ziehen wird, ist noch gänzlich offen. Einer der großen Interessenten soll aber Inter, also der heutige Gegner, sein. Sollte es wirklich dazu kommen, könnte der Argentinier seinem baldigen Arbeitgeber im Stadio Olimpico mit einer an diesem Abend starken Leistung gehörig in die Suppe spucken.

7. Abschied II: Gibt es darüber hinaus noch ein weiteres Juve-Ciao? Der seit 2004 für die Alte Dame auflaufende Giorgio Chiellini, der zuletzt schon sein Karriereende in der Nationalmannschaft offiziell gemacht hat, will sich in den nächsten Tagen äußern. Und es könnte laut italienischen Medien durchaus sein, dass der 37-jährige Routinier und Europameister von 2021 einen Schlussstrich unter seine erfolgreiche Juve-Zeit (u.a. neun Scudetti) ziehen wird.

8. Der DFB-Legionär: Auch aus deutscher Sicht lohnt sich ein Blick auf dieses Pokalfinale zwischen diesen beiden Giganten des italienischen Fußballs. Der im Winter von Atalanta Bergamo zum FC Internazionale gestoßene DFB-Nationalspieler Robin Gosens, der wegen einer Oberschenkelverletzung mit einem Handicap zum Team gekommen ist und seither Jokereinsätze ansammelt (sechs Serie-A-Einwechslungen), kann nun seinen ersten großen Titel seiner steilen Profikarriere eintüten.

9. Die Kampfansage: Nach zwischenzeitlich neun Meisterschaften in Serie hat Inter dem großen Konkurrenten aus Turin zuletzt den Rang abgelaufen. In der Serie A können die Nerazzurri einerseits nach dem Scudetto 2021 den Titel in diesem Jahr direkt verteidigen (Duell mit Milan) – und in der Coppa eben den Rivalen beim direkten Vergleich entthronen. Sportchef Beppe Marotta, früher viele Jahre für Juventus im Management tätig, führt dazu gegenüber “Sky Sport Italia” aus: “Die Spieler haben das Ziel klar vor Augen und sind besonders motiviert. Sie und wir wollen den Fans ein ganz besonders Geschenk mit einem Sieg über Juve machen.”

10. Die Stars: Auch ohne ein Fanherz für den italienischen Fußball lohnt ein Blick auf dieses Spiel an diesem Mittwochabend (21 Uhr, LIVE! bei kicker im Ticker und im Stream bei DAZN). Es treffen zwei taktisch hervorragend trainierte Mannschaften aufeinander, die sich seit vielen Jahrzehnten intensive Duelle liefern und auch in diesem Jahr reihenweise Top-Spieler auffahren. Während bei Inter etwa Akteure wie Milan Skriniar, Stefan de Vrij, Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, Lautaro Martinez oder Routinier Edin Dzeko auflaufen, schicken sich die Bianconeri etwa mit Alex Sandro, Juan Cuadrado, Top-Wintereinkauf Dusan Vlahovic und eben auch Paulo Dybala Richtung Titel an.

Marchisio highlights Juventus’ issues in Coppa Final and summer transfer window

May 11, 2022

Former Juventus and Italy midfielder Claudio Marchisio thinks Inter are ‘more complete’ than the Old Lady and highlights the Bianconeri’s issues for 2022-23: ‘They’ll have to replace Paulo Dybala and Giorgio Chiellini.’

The Serie A giants meet Inter in the Coppa Italia Final at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome tonight. It’s their last chance to win a trophy this season and avoid ending the campaign empty-handed for the first time since 2010-11.

“Juventus reached the Final and looking at the path, they had a tough start. If they win the cup, they will get a passing grade for the season. If they don’t no,” Marchisio told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“To me, Inter were the favourite, stronger and more complete. However, Juventus have closed the gap despite a few defects which they still have.”

Dusan Vlahovic hasn’t scored in the last four games across all competitions, while Dybala and Chiellini could lift their last trophy at Juventus tonight.

“I don’t want to make the mistake of trying to know which Allegri’s targets were. Ronaldo left at the beginning of the season, then Chiesa got injured and Vlahovic arrived. All these situations have led to tactical changes,” said Marchisio.

“Vlahovic is a pure talent, but his strong start made everyone think that he’d had no issues settling in. It can’t be that way. It takes time, but these six months were useful for him and Juventus and during the next season, he’ll have to show his qualities consistently.”

Where do Juventus need to improve next season?

“Juventus lack a real playmaker, but I think there is another problem in defence. Chiellini will stop, Bonucci must be handled. Same in attack, where Dybala has had highs and lows, but he has great figures at the club.

“It won’t be easy to replace him. Juventus need to understand what to do, whether to sign a young player or sign an ‘already made’ champion.

“Not reaching an agreement in the last few years affected both the club and the player. Juventus had a player that wasn’t mentally free, sometimes, that could be the reason behind injuries as well. Dybala hasn’t always been consistent but has scored 115 goals.”

Juventus confirmed in March that they would not extend Dybala’s contract. On the other hand, Chiellini hasn’t officially confirmed that he will leave Juventus at the end of the season but suggested so during yesterday’s pre-match press conference attended by Football Italia. The Italy defender has won 19 trophies in Turin and could either retire or move to the MLS in June.

Claudio Marchisio in a suit

Inter’s season still a success with Coppa Italia win and no Scudetto

May 9, 2022

When Edin Dzeko scored a 90th-minute winner to hand Inter a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Venezia in January, it looked like they would storm away with a second-straight Scudetto.

Inter moved four points clear of both Napoli and Milan, having played a game fewer then their rivals.

At that stage, they had recently won the Supercoppa and were two weeks away from a Champions League last-16 first leg against Liverpool. Inter were still on course to win every competition available to them.

However, they lost the following Serie A match, when Olivier Giroud’s brace gave Milan a memorable 2-1 derby victory and reignited the title race.

Fast forward to May and Inter, having once again had their title destiny in their own, threw away their advantage in spectacular fashion, when they lost 2-1 to Bologna – having been a goal ahead – following a late blunder by stand-in goalkeeper Ionut Radu.

The situation has now changed dramatically and Milan can afford to draw one of their final two matches and still win the Scudetto ahead of Inter.

So, taking all of Inter’s ups and downs throughout this campaign, would claiming the Coppa Italia, while missing out on title glory make 2021-22 a successful season?

It’s easy to forget now but Massiliamo Allegri returning to Juve and Antonio Conte leaving Inter to be replaced by Simone Inzaghi at the end of last season meant the Nerazzurri did not start the campaign as heavy favourites to retain their crown. In fact, following the 1-1 draw at home to Juve on October 24, Inter were seven points behind then leaders Napoli.

It was that result which started their 14-match unbeaten run. A sequence which only ended after they lost the derby.

Inzaghi has never won Serie A before and, while he is certainly highly-rated as a manager, it was expected that the transition from Conte, having lost influential players such as Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi, would be an arduous one.

Inter have shown throughout the season they are a work in progress. A team with a strong connection, who play good football but perhaps just need a little more strength in certain areas to be competing for the biggest honours.

They matched Real Madrid at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza before being undone by a late goal and even beat Liverpool at Anfield in their last-16 second leg but were eliminated on aggregate. They showed they weren’t completely overawed by the two Champions League finalists but, despite impressing in glimpses, what they had to offer simply wasn’t enough.

Perhaps it is due to the direct contrast with the previous campaign which would make Inter’s failure to win the title so hard to swallow for their supporters.

Inter and Milan were neck and neck for much of the first half of the 2020-21 and it was in their meeting around the same times as this season’s seemingly definitive derby that Conte’s side stormed to a 3-0 win and never looked back. They would win the title by 12 points.

Of course, having the title destiny in your own hands and then seeing your arch rivals take advantage of a mistake is painful and difficult to accept.

But victory in the Coppa Italia would make Inter winners again. Before the 20-21 title win, Inter hadn’t won a trophy since the FIFA Club World Cup in 2011.

A win at the Stadio Olimpico would make it three trophies in two seasons and that is huge progress for Inter.

Success becomes a habit. It may not be the one they want but it would be a trophy and continue to raise expectations, which is something a club of this stature can only thrive under.

Allegri’s doubts ahead of Coppa Italia final

May 9, 2022

Massimiliano Allegri has a few doubts 48 hours ahead of the Coppa Italia final against Inter, namely to do with the midfield and defence.

La Gazzetta dello Sport details how the Italian coach received some good news today as Luca Pellegrini showed incredibly positive signs at the training session, meaning he could be fit enough to start over Alex Sandro in the final. He’s still not made a final decision yet but this is only one of his many doubts.

Another uncertainty is the Juventus midfield; the recovery of Manuel Locatelli means Allegri will now have to decide whether to deploy a two or three-man midfield, and whether the former Sassuolo man will find space or not. For now it seems likely that Denis Zakaria and Adrien Rabiot will start in a two-man midfield.

The final doubt surrounds Juventus’ centre backs. The Bianconeri coach is considering starting Matthijs de Ligt and Giorgio Chiellini in defence, but then he’d be forced to leave out Leonardo Bonucci. Again, no final decision has been made yet, leaving Allegri some things to ponder as the final approaches.

Orsato still being punished for missed red on Pjanic?

May 9, 2022

A debate is currently raging regarding referee Daniele Orsato, who was not given the honour of officiating the Coppa Italia final despite his top level experience.

Earlier today the announcement came that Rome-born referee Paolo Valeri would lead the officiating team in the upcoming Coppa Italia final between Juventus and Inter, an honour for a referee. Some had expected Orsato to be given the right to referee the match, considering his top level experience, which includes the 2020 Champions League final between PSG and Bayern Munich.

Former referee Graziano Cesari gave his thoughts on the Coppa Italia final and Orsato when speaking on Italia Uno, underlining why the 46-year-old Italian referee shouldn’t be given the match.

“For the Coppa Italia final between Juventus and Inter, I would prefer a referee from Rome, with great experience, who knows the players well. Paolo Valeri would be the best.

“In this match, where there are consecutive mistakes by different referees, I wouldn’t send a referee who did what Daniele Orsato did three years ago.”

The mistake Cesari is referring to is the infamous missed red card for Miralem Pjanic in a tense Serie A clash between Inter and Juventus back in April 2018. It’s a mistake that has haunted Orsato and has often been brought up over the last few years.

Journalist Giovanni Capuano highlighted how Orsato has only officiated one big match between the top three Serie A teams across the last four seasons, a sign of his low stock in Serie A. In that period he officiated the Champions League final as well as three Euro 2020 games.

Valeri to officiate Coppa Italia final between Juventus and Inter

May 9, 2022

Referee Paolo Valeri will leading the officiating team in the upcoming Coppa Italia final between Juventus and Inter.

The match between the Bianconeri and the Nerazzurri will kick off at 20:00 UK time at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday May 11. It is the third Coppa Italia final meeting between the two rivals and Inter will be hoping to shake-up historic precedent, as they lost both the previous Derby d’Italia finals.

As reported by TuttoMercatoWeb, Rome-born referee Valeri will be the referee for the Coppa Italia final, leading the officiating team as Juventus take on Inter. He will work alongside assistant referees Alessandro Giallatini and Fabiano Preti.

The fourth official for the final will be Simone Sozza. Managing the VAR will be Aleandro Di Paolo and Rosario Abisso.

This will be the biggest match that Valeri has officiated so far; he’s previously overseen the Supercoppa Italiana final twice, the first in the 2020-21 season as Juventus and Napoli faced off, and the second in the 2014-15 campaign, when the same two teams met.

Valeri to officiate Coppa Italia final between Juventus and Inter

May 9, 2022

Referee Paolo Valeri will leading the officiating team in the upcoming Coppa Italia final between Juventus and Inter.

The match between the Bianconeri and the Nerazzurri will kick off at 20:00 UK time at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday May 11. It is the third Coppa Italia final meeting between the two rivals and Inter will be hoping to shake-up historic precedent, as they lost both the previous Derby d’Italia finals.

As reported by TuttoMercatoWeb, Rome-born referee Valeri will be the referee for the Coppa Italia final, leading the officiating team as Juventus take on Inter. He will work alongside assistant referees Alessandro Giallatini and Fabiano Preti.

The fourth official for the final will be Simone Sozza. Managing the VAR will be Aleandro Di Paolo and Rosario Abisso.

This will be the biggest match that Valeri has officiated so far; he’s previously overseen the Supercoppa Italiana final twice, the first in the 2020-21 season as Juventus and Napoli faced off, and the second in the 2014-15 campaign, when the same two teams met.

How Allegri plans to use Dybala in Coppa Italia final vs Inter

May 9, 2022

Massimiliano Allegri doesn’t want to leave out Paulo Dybala for the Coppa Italia final and he’s developed a plan to deploy the forward against Inter.

The 28-year-old Argentinian forward scored his 115th Juventus goal in the 2-1 loss to Genoa on Friday, joining Roberto Baggio in ninth place in the club’s all-time top scorer list. He started in that match alongside Dusan Vlahovic, leaving Alvaro Morata on the bench. Many thought that this was a hint that the Spaniard would start in place of Dybala in the final, but Allegri has a plan.

As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Dybala’s stock has risen following a decent performance against Genoa and Allegri doesn’t want to sacrifice him for the Coppa Italia final against Inter, a must win game after a disappointing season.

The plan is to line-up the Bianconeri in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Juan Cuadrado and Alvaro Morata playing out wide, leaving Vlahovic central up front and playing Dybala just behind him.

For now it’s just one plan of many and it could also be used as the game progresses, but it’s certainly something that Allegri is considering as the Coppa Italia final approaches.

How Allegri plans to use Dybala in Coppa Italia final vs Inter

May 9, 2022

Massimiliano Allegri doesn’t want to leave out Paulo Dybala for the Coppa Italia final and he’s developed a plan to deploy the forward against Inter.

The 28-year-old Argentinian forward scored his 115th Juventus goal in the 2-1 loss to Genoa on Friday, joining Roberto Baggio in ninth place in the club’s all-time top scorer list. He started in that match alongside Dusan Vlahovic, leaving Alvaro Morata on the bench. Many thought that this was a hint that the Spaniard would start in place of Dybala in the final, but Allegri has a plan.

As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Dybala’s stock has risen following a decent performance against Genoa and Allegri doesn’t want to sacrifice him for the Coppa Italia final against Inter, a must win game after a disappointing season.

The plan is to line-up the Bianconeri in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Juan Cuadrado and Alvaro Morata playing out wide, leaving Vlahovic central up front and playing Dybala just behind him.

For now it’s just one plan of many and it could also be used as the game progresses, but it’s certainly something that Allegri is considering as the Coppa Italia final approaches.