epa11916405 Milan head coach Sergio Conceicao gestures during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Torino FC and AC Milan, in Turin, Italy, 22 February 2025. EPA-EFE/ALESSANDRO DI MARCO
Milan technical director Geoffrey Moncada warns ‘there is no other option but victory’ in the Coppa Italia Final against Bologna, but Sergio Conceicao’s future ‘does not depend on tonight.’
It kicks off on neutral turf at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome at 20.00 UK time (19.00 GMT, 21.00 CET).
You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.
The winner will be decided after 90 minutes, extra time or even a penalty shoot-out, with the victors also qualifying for the Europa League.
By a curious twist of fate, these teams met in Serie A on Friday, with Milan emerging 3-1 winners.
Moncada warning to Milan
“Milan are not the favourites tonight, but it is a Final, we worked so hard to get here, so there is no other option but victory for us now,” Moncada told Sport Mediaset.
This would be their second trophy of the campaign after Sergio Conceicao secured the Supercoppa Italiana, beating Inter 3-2 in January with only his second game in charge. Could two pieces of silverware be enough to earn Conceicao the bench for next season?
“It does not depend on tonight. We have maximum confidence in him, he is a hard worker, he knows how to win these games, he’s very good at that.”
Winning the Coppa Italia may well be the only chance the Diavolo have of qualifying for the Europa League at this stage, so could missing out on the Champions League affect the confirmation of players like Mike Maignan and Theo Hernandez?
“As I said last time, we are working on the contracts. At the end of the season, we’ll know everything and it will be much clearer,” replied Moncada.
Milan have a mixed history with the Coppa Italia, as while they have won the trophy five times, the most recent success was back in 2003.
They also secured a runners-up medal on nine occasions, more than any other club.
Considering how well the Rossoneri have done in the Supercoppa and this tournament, is it confusing that they did so badly as to sit eighth in Serie A?
“I think a Cup competition is very different, whereas in Serie A we dropped points against smaller clubs, we made some mistakes. We are working hard and have some indications on what to do for next season,” concluded Moncada.
