BOLOGNA: Bologna eased into the Coppa Italia final following a 2-1 victory over Empoli at home on Thu­rsday, which handed them a resounding 5-1 ag­g­­r­egate win as they set up a showdown with AC Milan.

Bologna strolled into their Coppa Italia semi-final second leg with a comfortable cushion, with Empoli facing an uphill task of overturning a three-goal deficit.

Giovanni Fabbian compounded Empoli’s misery after just seven minutes when the unmarked midfielder headed in a cross to extend Bologna’s aggregate advantage.

While the visitors may have felt their Coppa Italia run was already over, they still responded in the 33rd minute as Ola Solbakken’s angled drive was parried by Federico Ravaglia into the path of Viktor Kovalenko, who slotted in the rebound.

Both sides used the closing stages to express themselves more freely, playing with flair and imagination, but it was Thijs Dallinga who met a cross to head in another Bologna goal four minutes from time, sealing the win.

Bologna will play in the Coppa Italia final for the first time since their victory in 1974.

“It was a goal, the dream of this city and the club: we have honoured this competition from the start, and when you reach the final stretch, everyone wants to go all the way,” Bologna manager Vincenzo Italiano told Mediaset. “We dedicate this final to the people of Bologna, who support us tremendously.”

Bologna will face Milan at the Stadio Olimpico on May 14.

“That would upset Milan, but we hope to play a great match, arriving in top condition,” Italiano added.

“Our self-esteem is already sky-high, and we know were facing a team of champions, but well try to use our strengths. We can’t wait to get to Rome, and we hope to have those 30,000 fans at the Olimpico.”

Italiano is also hunting his first major honour as a coach as he lost three finals with his previous club Fiorentina, including the Coppa Italia final in 2023.

Empoli beat Fiorentina and Juventus on their way to their first cup semi-final but their dream ended after yet another defeat.

Roberto D’Aversa’s Empoli sit in the relegation zone in Serie A after failing to win since early December.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2025