Bologna towards the Coppa Italia final: five decisive challenges for Europe

Bologna, 30 April 2025 – Vincenzo Italiano is absolutely right when he claims that the fight for Europe that in the championship there was a challenge at the Ok Corral between six teams (from Atalanta's 65 points to Fiorentina's 59) can be transformed into a precious training ground to train the spirit with which to present oneself to the final of the Italian Cup with Milan on May 14th. This is because, including the last act of the National Cup, from now until the end of May his Bologna it's like he has to face five finals. Not only the Bologna-Juve next Sunday which the coach has rightly labelled as a "play-off" or the trip to Franchi immediately after the Cup final where the rossoblù will find a Fiorentina eager to consume the overtaking, but also the Milan-Bologna of May 9th at the Meazza or the last home effort with GenoaThese are also finals, in the sense that to snatch a slot, more or less prestigious, in Europe they will both be games to win.

Learn more:

Bologna towards the Coppa Italia final: five decisive challenges for Europe

After that everyone would like to win them all, but in turn almost all of them fail. It happened to Juve who recently left Parma with broken bones, to Lazio stopped at home by the same dukes on Monday night and even to Atalanta of an alarmed Gasperini, blocked at the Gewiss Stadium by Lecce. Only Ranieri's astonishing Roma constitutes a formidable exception to the rule. It is no coincidence that in the last 10 days of the championship it is precisely the Giallorossi who have won the most points: 26. And in second place in this partial ranking is precisely Bologna, who have collected 20 points equal to Como: all the others follow.

This is to say that the Udine braking is legitimate that it offers food for critical reflection but it almost appears physiological for a group that has been running at supersonic speed for months. Unfortunately, it is physiological to have a half-empty passage even when some key losses are in the infirmary, or go on the field but in conditions far from ideal. Having a Castro at half-service (and perhaps we are being generous) is a real problem. Even more serious is having lost, hopefully only for a couple of weeks, a 'can opener' of the defenses like ndoye. More Holm he is still in the infirmary, the Ferguson just recovered from the injury he must find his brilliance again, Dallinga because of the pubalgia he can't raise the engine revs much and at least a couple of starters, you see Graze e Odgaard, in Udine they appeared a bit worn out. The sum of all these factors certainly cannot make the best possible Bologna.

But each one actually has its own problems and its own complicated schedule. Juve is now at +1, but it is a small margin considering that Tudor's Bianconeri will face Lazio at the Olimpico after the trip to the Dall'Ara. Roma, who today appear invincible, can take points away from Fiorentina at home on Sunday but it is not certain that they will also collect points in the next round on the pitch of Atalanta.

There is another reason not to make gratuitous catastrophism. After a fall, or a slowdown, this Bologna has always found a victory this season. Tudor is warned, even if at Dall'Ara the Lady will have two results out of three available. In any case, there is still a play-off: for Bologna, a play-off to win.