Coppa Italia (2019–20)

Lore & Background

Lazio were the defending champions having won their seventh cup title in May 2019 against Atalanta, but were eliminated by Napoli in the quarter-finals. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, both the second legs of the semi-finals and the final itself were postponed to June. Napoli won the competition by defeating Juventus 4–2 on penalties in the final after a goalless draw, winning their sixth cup title, having won their fifth cup title in 2014.

In Their Own Story

The air inside the Stadio Olimpico was thick with tension, a palpable electric charge that seemed to vibrate through the concrete stands. Napoli fans, a sea of azure, sang with a desperation born of six years without silverware. On the pitch, the scoreboard read 2-0 against them at halftime, the weight of Juventus's dominance pressing down on every player in blue. But then, the second half began, and something shifted. A goal from Mertens ignited a spark; Insigne struck soon after to silence the doubters. The stadium roared as the tie was forced into extra time, the legs heavy but spirits soaring. When the whistle finally blew for penalties, the world narrowed down to the penalty spot. One by one, Napoli stepped up, their hearts pounding in unison with the drums of the Curva A. As the final penalty was converted and Meret dove to his left to make a decisive save, the roar that erupted from Naples traveled instantly across Italy, a sound of pure, unadulterated catharsis.

Reader's Guide

Teams entered the competition at various stages. The first phase consisted of one-legged fixtures: first round (27 teams from Serie C and nine Serie D teams), second round (18 winners plus 20 Serie B teams and two Serie C teams), third round (20 winners plus 12 Serie A sides seeded 9–20), fourth round (16 winners). The second phase included the round of 16 (one-legged, with eight fourth-round winners and Serie A clubs seeded 1–8), quarter-finals (one-legged), semi-finals (two-legged), and final (one-legged).

Did You Know?

• Napoli's path to the final included rounds against Perugia, Lazio, and Inter Milan, not Sampdoria and Atalanta.
• David Ospina did not take a penalty in the shootout; the Napoli penalty takers were Insigne, Politano, Maksimović, and Milik.
• Napoli's sixth Coppa Italia title tied them with Fiorentina for fifth most wins, not fourth; Juventus leads with 14, followed by Roma (9), Inter (8), and Lazio (7).