Inter Milan will meet Lazio in the 2026 Coppa Italia final after two days of compelling semi-final action, which saw I Nerazzurri come back from two goals down to beat Como 3-2 on aggregate, and then Lazio withstand an Atalanta barrage before winning a penalty shootout.
On Tuesday it was the turn of Inter Milan and Como to reach for the final and it was I Nerazzurri who came through to keep Cristian Chivu’s dream of leading his team to a domestic double as head coach. But they had to work hard after going two goals down and it was man-of-the-match Hakan Calhanoglu who drove his team to victory with a brace and a last minute assist for Petar Sucic.
The SBOTOP Coppa Italia 2026 betting odds backed a Nerazzurri win over Como but it looked like the lakeside stars would upset the applecart as they stormed into a two goal lead. Roared on by 4,000 travelling fans Cesc Fabregas’ team bossed the first half and got their deserved lead when Ignace Van Der Brempt cut the ball back and Martin Baturina fired his shot clinically home. Then it was the turn of Lucas Da Cunha to get on the scoresheet when he collected a through ball from top scorer Nico Paz and slid the ball past Nerazzurri stopper Josep Martinez just two minutes into the second half.
Inter were down but not out and they had a slice of luck when Calhanoglu hit a thunderous strike which took a deflection and flew into the net and with 20 minutes left the onslaught began. Sucic swung a cross into the danger area and Calhanoglu guided home his first header in Inter colours and, with time ticking away it was the Turkish master who teed up Sucic who was coolness personified when he slid the ball home.
Como can be proud of their best cup run since rising from the third tier as recently as 2019, but Inter’s winning mentality saw them though, and Nerazzurri fans will be delighted that Calhanoglu, who is set to lead Turkey to the World Cup finals, has agreed to stay at the club for another season, after Chivu’s team complete their Scudetto charge and contest the Coppa final in a grandstand finish to the campaign.
Atalanta and Lazio both had their eyes on a trip to Rome when they met on Wednesday in Bergamo. The two teams produced enough Coppa Italia 2026 highlights in the first leg with a ding-dong 2-2 draw. But the first half of the second leg was goalless, not that La Dea can be blamed for that as the hosts rained 11 shots down on the Lazio goal with the Romans managing only two. But Atalanta’s only effort on target, from the lively Nicola Zalewski, was easily saved by Edoardo Motta.
The pattern of play in the second half was just the same as Atalanta went on the attack and Motta was called on again to keep out an effort from Nikola Krstovic. Atalanta thought they’d scored on the hour when Ederson hit the Lazio net but, after a lengthy VAR check the goal was cancelled out.
La Dea piled on the pressure and Motta got busier keeping out shots from Charles de la Ketelaere and Ederson and then the unthinkable happened (for the home fans) when Alessio Romagnoli gave Lazio an 84th minute lead.
But that’s what it took for Atalanta to break through, and Mario Pasalic equalised immediately with a pile driver from outside the box.
La Dea tried to take control in extra time as Giacomo Raspadori planted home a header, but VAR intervened again to spot a marginal offside against Davide Zappacosta in the build-up. And then Scammaca came close when he met a cross from Pasalic but his header flew narrowly wide.
And so to the lottery of penalties which saw Raspadori score for Atalanta and the next three miss until Gustav Isaksen made it 1-1, before Pasalic missed again for La Dea. And when De Ketelaere missed Atalanta were finished as Lazio won it 2-1.
Motta the hero for Lazio.
So, what’s next for these four clubs? After a dramatic couple of days of Coppa action it’s back to the Scudetto and Inter Milan, who lead the Serie A table by a clear 12 points could be crowned champions if they win away to Torino on Sunday, and both AC Milan and Napoli fail to win. Fifth placed Como are away to Genoa, and they need a win to keep their top four hopes alive, while holding off as challenge from AS Roma in fifth place and Atalanta in sixth. La Dea is four points behind Como and Roma, and plays on Monday away to Cagliari, while Lazio, a further seven points back in ninth are at home to Udinese.
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