Coppa Italia preview: Inter Milan eye domestic double, Lazio chase upset | OneFootball

Inter Milan will look to secure their first domestic double in over a decade when they face old rivals Lazio in the Coppa Italia final next week.

Stadio Olimpico will host this mouth-watering fixture twice in quick succession, as the two sides are set to lock horns in Serie A this weekend in sharply contrasting circumstances.

Cristian Chivu became only the fourth manager in Serie A history to win the Scudetto before his 50th birthday, as Inter dethroned Napoli last weekend, lifting their 21st top-flight title.

Beppe Marotta’s decision to appoint the 45-year-old as Simone Inzaghi’s successor last summer raised a few eyebrows, largely due to Chivu’s lack of experience in senior management.

Fast forward ten months, and the Romanian tactician is on the brink of becoming the first Nerazzurri manager to clinch a coveted domestic double since Jose Mourinho in 2010.

However, Lazio veteran Maurizio Sarri could spoil Chivu’s plans, as he looks to guide them to their first trophy since 2019 in what could be his last season in charge of the club.

High-flying champions

Chivu has done a stellar job this season.

He has restored confidence within the squad following a morale-wracking 2024/25 campaign. The Nerazzurri lost the Scudetto on the final day and suffered humiliation in the Champions League final.

Despite a frustrating Champions League exit against Bodo/Glimt, Chivu’s first managerial season at Inter could be a resounding success, especially if they secure a landmark 10th Coppa Italia title.

Fresh off becoming the first foreign manager to lift the Scudetto since Mourinho, Chivu now stands on the verge of etching his name even deeper into the club’s history books.

Inter head into proceedings as strong favourites to ascend to the throne for the first time since 2023, taking confidence from their scintillating record in this fixture.

Goals from Lautaro Martinez and Ange-Yoan Bonny on either side of half-time propelled the Nerazzurri to a comfortable 2-0 win in November’s reverse clash, extending Inter’s unbeaten run against Lazio to eight games.

Downtrodden giants

In addition to their dreadful streak in this match-up, Lazio suffered their heaviest-ever home defeat in Serie A against Inter last season, falling to a calamitous 6-0 loss in December 2024.

Avenging that result remains Sarri’s highest priority amid the uncertainty surrounding his future at the Olimpico, as he seeks only his third major title as a manager.

Despite earning praise for guiding Lazio through a turbulent campaign marked by transfer bans and fan unrest, Sarri could still oversee the club’s worst Serie A finish since the 2018/19 season.

Lazio could finish as low as eighth for the first time in seven years, yet that season also marked their most recent Coppa Italia triumph, as they beat Atalanta 2-0 in the final.

The Biancocelesti now gear up for their 11th appearance in this fixture, looking to win the competition for the eighth time. Only Juventus, Roma and Inter have lifted the trophy more often.

Prediction

Chivu has turned Inter into a force to be reckoned with this season, with his team cruising to the Scudetto in dominant fashion.

As the only Serie A side to hit an 80-goal landmark, Inter have scored at least 23 more goals than any other team in the league.

Inter showed their fighting spirit in the Coppa Italia semi-final, overturning a two-goal deficit in a sensational 3-2 win over Como, netting three unanswered goals beyond the 60th minute to reach the final.

Lazio came from behind to beat Cremonese 2-1 on Monday, registering their third win in their last four domestic outings to bolster their spirits ahead of this high-stakes showdown.

Although the final takes place on their home ground, the Biancocelesti will still face a daunting task against a dominant Inter side that will enter the match in superior form.

Anything other than an Inter win would be a major surprise.