AC Milan sealed their spot in the Coppa Italia final with a dominant 3-0 win over fierce rivals and Inter Milan in the second leg of their semi-final clash on Wednesday night.
The result saw Milan progress with a 4-1 aggregate victory, having drawn 1-1 in the first leg. The triumph not only sends the Rossoneri to the final but also crushes Inter’s dreams of securing a historic treble this season.
Despite the high-stakes encounter, Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze was an unused substitute for Milan.
The Nigerian forward made headlines earlier in the competition with a brace in Milan’s 6-1 thrashing of Sassuolo in the round of 16, but he has managed only three minutes of game time across the three matches since then in the tournament.
With Inter missing key players like Marcus Thuram and Denzel Dumfries, Milan capitalized on their rivals’ weakened setup.
Stefano Pioli opted for a front three of Luka Jovic, Rafael Leão, and Christian Pulisic, maintaining the 3-4-3 formation despite the continued absence of key defender Kyle Walker.
Luka Jovic was the hero of the night, netting a well-taken brace, while Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders added the third to put the game beyond Inter’s reach.
Milan’s aggressive approach and clinical finishing proved too much for Inzaghi’s men, who have now failed to beat Milan in five attempts this season losing three and drawing two.
While Inter remain in the race for the Serie A and Champions League titles, this defeat leaves a sour note in what has otherwise been an impressive campaign.
For Milan, this will be their second cup final in just four months, following their Supercoppa Italiana triumph over Inter in January.
They will now await the winner of the other semi-final between Empoli and Bologna for a chance to lift the Coppa Italia trophy on May 14 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
