AC Milan stormed into the Coppa Italia final for the first time since 2018 with a dominant 3-0 second-leg victory over fierce rivals Inter at San Siro, sealing a 4-1 aggregate triumph and ending the Nerazzurri’s treble ambitions in the process.
Luka Jovic was the star of the show, netting a brace to become the first Milan player to score twice in a Derby della Madonnina since Rafael Leao in 2022. Tijjani Reijnders added a late third to put the tie beyond doubt and book Milan’s place in next month’s final, where they will face either Empoli or likely opponents Bologna.
Despite missing key figures such as Marcus Thuram and Denzel Dumfries, Inter started brightly, with Federico Dimarco rattling the crossbar and Lautaro Martinez squandering a golden chance. Yet it was Milan who struck first. In the 36th minute, Alex Jimenez delivered a pinpoint cross that Jovic met with a powerful header past Josep Martinez.
Four minutes into the second half, Jovic struck again. A chaotic corner routine saw the ball fall kindly for the Serbian, who reacted sharply to prod it home from close range. Inter, clearly shaken, pushed forward in search of a way back, but Mike Maignan came up with a crucial save to deny Stefan de Vrij’s header.
The final blow arrived five minutes from time. Rafael Leao surged forward and picked out Reijnders, who calmly slotted the ball beneath the keeper to cap off a memorable night for the Rossoneri.
Under Sergio Conceicao, Milan have now reached their second final in four months after lifting the Supercoppa Italiana earlier this year again at Inter’s expense. The result also extended Milan’s unbeaten run against their city rivals to five matches, a remarkable turnaround after a previous run of six consecutive defeats.
Milan is fighting to win the Coppa Italia for the first time since 2003, while Inter is facing a difficult period that includes a Champions League semi-final against Barcelona and tough league matches as they compete with Napoli. Nevertheless, Milan has every right to celebrate last night’s big derby victory and another golden opportunity to win a trophy this season.
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