Super Cup: Pitch prevails, invited teams out, champions in final | OneFootball

In the end, the green pitch made the decision. Against the logic of marketing, against the hopes of sponsors who perhaps dreamed of a Milanese derby in the desert or a classic of Italian football to fill the global audience charts, the Italian Super Cup returns to us in its purest form. Monday’s final will be Napoli vs Bologna.

Riyadh, the big clubs’ plan fails: the verdict of the green pitch gives us the “true” Super Cup

The Final Four format, introduced to maximize revenue and entertainment, is based on a “repechage” mechanism: in addition to the trophy winners, the runners-up (the so-called “invitees”) also participate. On paper, this system is designed to guarantee the presence of the big Northern powers, often a guarantee of international prestige. Yet, the semifinals delivered an unappealable verdict: Inter (second in the league) and Milan (the outgoing holder and Cup finalist) have been eliminated. The teams that reached Riyadh thanks to honorable placements return home, defeated by those who, last season, lifted the trophies to the sky. Monday’s final will, paradoxically, be an “old-style” final in a very modern context. The Champions of Italy and the holders of the Coppa Italia will face each other. No calculations, no courtesy invitations: Napoli and Bologna are there because they were the best in their respective competitions. It is the triumph of sporting meritocracy over the speculation of the format. It is the legitimization of the sweat poured out to earn the Scudetto and the tricolor Coccarda.

​If from a technical point of view the final is impeccable, the debate about the context remains open. Such a “fair” and meritocratic final would have deserved the setting of the Maradona or the Dall’Ara, giving back to the people the celebration that instead will take place thousands of kilometers away. Now, for the two teams, the imperative changes. It is no longer just about winning a trophy and cashing a hefty check. It is about honoring the title won, about closing the circle by proving that, even in the business of football, winning on the pitch still counts more than prestige. Bringing the cup back to the city, therefore, becomes almost a moral obligation: compensation for those fans, forced to experience a long-distance love in front of the TV, but proud to be there not by invitation, but by earned right.

Andrea Alati

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.