Milan and Roma have not played a Coppa Italia match since 2007. Eighteen years ago, the Giallorossi emerged victorious after six national cup matches in which they failed to defeat the Rossoneri. The home team has not won the Coppa Italia since 2003, when Carlo Ancelotti was on the bench, while Roma’s last triumph came in 2008 during Luciano Spalletti’s first tenure as their coach. The most recent match between the two teams, on December 29 at San Siro, ended in a 1-1 draw, with Reijnders and Dybala playing key roles.🟨 MATCHDAY 🟥⏰ 21:00, #MilanRoma🏆 Coppa Italia Frecciarossa🔥 DAJE ROMA DAJE!#ASRoma pic.twitter.com/0C0zy54uNn— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) February 5, 2025 In Milan, over the past few days, a belief has spread that Sérgio Conceição’s team does not prioritize the Coppa Italia, as the focus remains on Serie A and the Champions League. One of the reasons cited is the high likelihood of facing Inter twice in the semifinals. Given that these semifinal clashes are scheduled for April—when the fight for Champions League spots will be at its peak—it is clear that a double showdown with Inter could jeopardize Milan’s main goal: qualifying for the Champions League. However, looking at Milan’s expected lineup for tonight’s match, as reported by all Italian media, it seems that Sérgio Conceição is not willing to give up on the Coppa Italia trophy, unlike Napoli’s coach Antonio Conte, who deliberately bowed out of the national cup to focus on the Serie A title race.Fall out with the coach? You’re out of the clubOn the other hand, Claudio Ranieri made it clear from day one of his third tenure at Roma: the Coppa Italia and the Europa League take precedence over Serie A. In other words, Roma has realistically acknowledged that the league is beyond saving this season and that their best shot at redemption lies in the domestic and European cup competitions. These two opposing philosophies were on display on Sunday. Milan, despite having played a grueling match against Dinamo Zagreb—where they were down to ten men for almost an hour due to Musa’s red card—still fielded their best lineup against Inter at the Meazza. Meanwhile, Roma rotated heavily after their crucial Europa League win over Eintracht Frankfurt, resting six key starters against Napoli. In the end, Roma’s approach paid off. Ranieri’s team managed to secure a draw against Napoli at the Olimpico while keeping their top players fresh for the Milan clash—from Hummels and Saelemaekers to Paredes, Pellegrini, Dovbyk, and Dybala.Carletto’s first love wants him back as they play on nostalgia cardMeanwhile, Conceição pushed his players to the limit. Against Inter, Leão had to be subbed off due to exhaustion, Pulisic aggravated his injury, and several others gave everything they had. The only relatively fresh player for Milan will be Fofana, who missed the derby due to suspension. Given this situation, the arrivals of Santiago Giménez and João Félix could be crucial at a decisive point in the season, as Milan battles on three fronts. Pulisic and Leão are expected to start, but both are physically drained from the intense schedule at the start of 2025. It wouldn’t be surprising if Giménez or Félix start tonight, although it is more likely that they debut in the second half.Biggest spenders in the January transfer window: The unlikely 10Milan’s next two matches—away to Empoli on Saturday in Serie A and against Feyenoord in Rotterdam on Tuesday in the Champions League—are critical. If Milan fails to achieve good results in these games, this season could be compromised despite winning the Super Cup. Without Champions League qualification, Milan will be forced to drastically cut wages and potentially sell one or even two star players. Interestingly, Giménez chose the No. 7 jersey at Milan. This decision came as a relief, given that the No. 9 shirt—since Pippo Inzaghi—has brought misfortune to Milan’s strikers, with the exception of Olivier Giroud. Giménez explained that his choice was inspired by religious reasons (seven is the number of perfection in the Bible) as well as sentimental ones, as his football idol is Andriy Shevchenko, who also wore No. 7.The night Antonio Conte would gladly forgetRoma’s hopes rest on Paulo Dybala. The Argentine is expected to be the game-changer, not just because he is Roma’s most talented player, but also because Milan is his favorite opponent in Italy. Dybala has already scored ten goals against the Rossoneri across Serie A, the Europa League, and the Coppa Italia. While Roma fans are not as superstitious as Napoli’s, they are wary that another former Roma player—Tammy Abraham—could punish them. After Leonardo Spinazzola and Juan Jesus made their mark last week, Abraham could follow the unwritten football rule that players often deliver their best performances against their former clubs.COPPA ITALIA – ITALIAN CUPQuarter-finalsTuesdayAtalanta – Bologna 0-1 (0-0)/Castro 80/Wednesday23:00: (2.10) Milan (3.45) Roma (3.50)***odds are subject to change***
