Bologna pull off upset of Christian Pulisic's AC Milan, win first Coppa Italia in 51 years
The team coached by Vincenzo Italiano completed a remarkable run to the title, their first domestic cup since 1974

It was a historical night in Rome as Bologna managed to win their first Coppa Italia final since 1974 and the third one in their history, beating Christian Pulisic and AC Milan in the final, 1-0. The win marks a massive moment in the tenure of Canadian businessman Joey Saputo, who took over the club in 2014. The team's last trophy was the 1998 Intertoto Cup.
The team coached by Vincenzo Italiano won thanks to the goal scored in the second half by Dan Ndoye, who became the hero of the night. Italiano lost three finals as the manager of Fiorentina but wins a trophy in his first season with Bologna. The Rossoneri, after winning the Supercoppa Italiana in January and knocking out city rivals Inter in the Coppa Italia semifinals, may miss out on European soccer next season as a result, as the Coppa Italia trophy means Bologna will play Europa League next season. There's still a chance they play Champions League if they make the top four in Serie A.
As things stand, it's still not sure if American international Pulisic will play European soccer in the season ahead of the 2026 World Cup that will take place in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Dan Ndoye brings Bologna one step closer to lifting their first major trophy in more than 50 years 🤩 pic.twitter.com/ukvlAndIvS
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 14, 2025
While Bologna can celebrate their first major title in 50 years, marking another milestone for the club after qualifying for the UEFA Champions League last season as well, it's now time to reflect for AC Milan on what's next.
The team owned by American businessman Gerry Cardinale is likely to appoint a third manager in less than one year in the coming weeks, as Portuguese manager Sergio Conceicao is unlikely to remain in charge after the end of the current spell. The Rossoneri need to rebound on what went wrong this season, as there are some chances to see them out of all the European tournaments during the 2025-26 season.
They find themselves in eighth place in Serie A, needing points in the final weeks of the season to have any chance of securing a European spot.