Bologna in the Coppa Italia final: Vincenzo Italiano leads the dream against Milan

"There's one more step left but we're already in history."

The man in history has the most targeted bald spot in Dall'Ara, because Vincenzo Italiano after the final whistle he cannot help but be greeted by the joyful slaps of his boys in the centre of the pitch.

Total party, to the tune of Lucio singing 'La sera dei miracoli'. But it's not a miracle, for this reason Bologna, having grabbed the final of the Italian Cup: it's just a merit award. And what merit.

"Well done everyone – says the coach –. Winning this final and bringing thirty thousand Bolognese to the Olimpico was the dream of this city, of the club and of everyone. We did it and now we will go to Rome to play it, even knowing that the Milan starts as the favorite."

Whatever happens, it's already time for dedications. "We dedicate this final to the people of Bologna, who once again made the atmosphere at the Dall'Ara fantastic. I had read about some possible emptiness in the stands and instead the stadium was nice and full and maybe it's still full now as we speak...".

In the background you can hear fireworks that pierce the silence of a magical night: so beautiful that you would never want it to end.

"A huge happiness", says Italiano. Who then retraces the first steps of his masterpiece. "At the beginning of the season there was a bit of mistrust, but it was normal after changing the coach and losing three or four pillars of the team. My difficulty, in those days, was getting into the mind of a group coming off great victories: but little by little I succeeded. Along the way we grew a lot, also thanks to the path we took in the Champions League. And even now we continue to grow, match after match".

The next one will be played on Monday evening in Udine and it will be a championship match. But it is normal that yesterday's thoughts are focused on Milan and on the fateful 14th of May. "We hope to arrive at that race supported by great condition – he adds –. We certainly don't lack self-esteem at the moment, in fact it's at a thousand".

And again: "We know what awaits us against Milan. We will face a great team, full of champions and players who are more accustomed than us to playing that type of match. We will fight with our ammunition, we will play it. And we can't wait to be at the Olimpico with our thirty thousand fans following us".

For Italiano it will be the fourth final in the last two years and the tongue inevitably hits where the tooth hurts, that is, on the three defeats suffered in the first three circumstances.

"When I think about it, I console myself by reflecting on the value of the journey that led me to play three finals and a bit of the bitterness goes away," admits Vincenzo.

Human, too human. Even when he says that "we will go to the final without any pressure, without any worry". And when he sends a caress to two of his boys.

"I'm happy that Dallinga scored the goal that gave us the victory: he does a huge job for the team and is growing a lot. And Moro, who hadn't seen the field for a while, also gave a great performance".

Even so, brick by brick, a Bologna dreamlike.