View from the Opposition: AC Milan

Ahead of the Women’s Coppa Italia final, we spoke to Lucia Pirola, editor at Radio Rossonera and a go-to expert for everything surrounding AC Milan Women...

The Coppa Italia final between AC Milan and Roma will be played on Sunday 30 May at 20:30 CEST at the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia.

The match will be broadcast live on Roma TV and Roma TV+.

How do Milan come into this final?

“They come into this with real gusto. They’ve achieved their main goal for this season, by qualifying for next season’s Champions League. It will be a difficult path, also because the team finished as runners-up in the league, but competing on that stage – it’s still a huge achievement.

“The first part of the season was impressive, with the only blow being the defeat against Juventus. In the second half of the season the team dipped slightly but still managed to get second place and now they have a chance of lifting the first trophy in the team's history with this final.”

How much have Milan changed during the season from a tactical point of view and what approach do you expect in this final?

“Tactically speaking, the team has undergone a big change. In the second half of the season, the team’s identity gradually shifted. By adopting the 3-5-2 set-up, coach Maurizio Ganz has been able to make the most of the players at his disposal, creating a midfield with physicality and quality, thanks to the arrival of Veronica Boquete and Yui Hasegawa who immediately established themselves as starters, making a significant impact with goals – just think of the double Boquete scored in the semi-final second leg against Inter.”

Who could be the key player for Milan?

“The first names that come to mind are Boquete and Hasegawa, as well as the captain Valentina Giacinti, but I’ll go for another star, Refiloe Jane, a South African midfielder, who has been at Milan for two seasons.

"She does not catch the eye so much with her play, but she’s fundamental in dictating the rhythm, balance and quality of the team’s attacking play. We often see her as a deep-lying pivot but she makes good forward runs and does so with good timing. In my opinion, she is the key player who is silently responsible for a lot of what this team does.”

Which Roma player would you want in your team for this match?

“The real question is which player I wouldn't take from this team. From the mid-point of this season onwards especially, Roma have demonstrated great quality in all departments. Just picking one from each area of the pitch: Elena Linari, Manuela Giugliano and Annamaria Serturini.

"I'll pick one more, too: Angelica Soffia. She is a young and very promising player. In her position there are few players with her level of quality. She has turned in some sensational performances – she has character and has developed physically. She is one of the young players who best embodies the idea of professionalism that female footballers must have inside them.”

What is your prediction for the match?

“The contests between these two teams in the league have offered few indications of how a one-off match might play out. The first encounter (which ended 1-0 to Milan) was decided by a single episode, while the 0-0 draw in the second game of the season, just a few weeks ago, didn’t tell us much. I wouldn’t rule out the match going beyond 90 minutes.

"The teams will try to take control of the game from the start, but without leaving themselves exposed. In any case, I have the feeling that Milan can be relied upon over the long term, as shown by their excellent run in the league, while Roma give me the impression that they’re very ready to give everything in matches of this type and they showed it in the semi-final.”

The Women's Coppa Italia final between AC Milan and Roma will be played on Sunday 30 May at 20:30 CEST at the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia.

The match will be broadcast live on Roma TV and Roma TV+.