AC Milan ends Inter's treble quest, keeps own Coppa Italia trophy hopes alive

New York Times

23-04-2025

Little has gone to plan for AC Milan this season, with the club in ninth-place as the 2024-25 Serie A campaign nears its conclusion. It's hardly a year-long performance worthy of European qualification. However, Milan is just 90 minutes away from entering through the back door.
The Rossoneri logged a vital 3-0 win over Inter Milan in the second leg of their Coppa Italia semifinal clash, cementing a place in the final on a 4-1 aggregate triumph. Luka Jović opened the scoring in the 36th minute by heading home a cross from Álex Jiménez, breaking through in an otherwise cagey first half on a drizzly evening at the San Siro. Jović doubled the lead just after halftime with a close-proximity finish to give the nominal visitors additional momentum, while Tijjani Reijnders slammed the door shut on an Inter comeback in the 86th minute.
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Milan will face the winner of the other two-legged semifinal, which culminates tomorrow when Bologna welcomes Empoli. The hosts (currently positioned fourth in Serie A) carry a 3-0 advantage back to the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, making them a heavy favorite to advance to the one-off final on May 14. The winner of the Coppa Italia automatically qualifies for the Europa League's league phase. Milan last won it in 2003 and is seeking its sixth title.
The win continues Milan's last-gasp attempt to salvage something from the first season following Stefano Pioli's departure. A poor start led to Paulo Fonseca's dismissal in December after just six months on the job, with Sérgio Conceição appointed around the start of 2025. Results in the league have gotten slightly worse since the change, dropping from 1.6 points per Serie A match under Fonseca to 1.5 under Conceição.
The club's Champions League campaign also suffered amidst the touchline turmoil. After entering the final league phase matchday in position to automatically reach the round of 16, a shock 2-1 defeat to already-eliminated Dinamo Zagreb sent Milan into the knockout playoff round. The Rossoneri fell in a two-legged tie against Feyenoord, bringing their full focus to domestic play.
While their Serie A form has left much to be desired since their European campaign ended, the Coppa Italia has offered occasional reprieve. A week after the loss to Dinamo, Milan bounced back with an emphatic 3-1 quarterfinal win over AS Roma, led by a brace from ex-England striker Tammy Abraham.
Given Abraham's heroics in the semifinal's first leg — where he scored the lone goal in a 1-1 draw — as well as the previous round, it was a shock to see Jović get the nod on Wednesday. The Serbia international scored nine goals last season, but he has been third or fourth-choice at center forward for much of 2024-25. His work in the box justified Conceição's trust, getting in position to break the deadlock before the break and expertly positioning himself at the far post to collect a ricocheted corner kick to extend Milan's lead.
Álex Jiménez fires a perfect cross to Luka Jović to put AC Milan ahead on aggregate in the Coppa Italia semifinal 😤 pic.twitter.com/zRk39kOSOS
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 23, 2025
After making six changes to his lineup from the weekend, Simone Inzaghi was forced to recalibrate just after the break. Inter made four substitutions in the minutes following Jović's second goal, bringing on more proactive personal in hopes of regaining a foothold in the tie. While a couple of attempts forced France international Mike Maignan into some crucial and acrobatic saves, their 16-8 shot advantage
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It was a quiet day for Milan's American contingent, with Christian Pulisic starting as usual on the right wing. The 26-year-old didn't take a single shot attempt but created a pair of chances, while also earning the corner kick that led to Jović's second goal. Pulisic made way in the 78th minute as Conceição looked to fortify his midfield with Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Yunus Musah was an unused substitute for a third consecutive game, extending a difficult aftermath to his major gaffe against Fiorentina a few weeks back.
The result also brings an end to Inter's dreams of winning the treble. Inzaghi's side is in the thick of a race to defend its title in Serie A, level with Napoli for first on 71 points but enjoying a sizable +13 goal differential edge to break the tie through 33 games. Inter will also enter the semifinal of the Champions League on April 30, visiting Barcelona for the first leg. Recent form has given ample cause for concern, however, as Inter has now conceded at least once in each of its last eight games across all competitions.
Inter will also participate in the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup this summer, sharing a group with River Plate, Monterrey and Urawa Red Diamonds.