Bologna eased into the Coppa Italia final following a 2-1 second-leg victory over Empoli, which handed them a resounding 5-1 aggregate win in the semi-final.

They are into the showpiece match of the competition for the first time in 51 years, and will compete against AC Milan as they bid to win the trophy for the third time.

Bologna had put themselves in a brilliant position after their 3-0 first-leg win, with Empoli facing an uphill task to overturn that deficit.

Giovanni Fabbian compounded Empoli’s misery after just seven minutes when the unmarked midfielder headed in a Nikola Moro cross to extend Bologna’s aggregate advantage.

Bologna tried to add to their tally quickly, with Charalampos Lykogiannis and Thijs Dallinga both forcing fine saves out of Jacopo Seghetti.

While the visitors may have felt their Coppa Italia run was already over, they responded well. Federico Ravaglia parried Ola Solbakken’s angled drive into the path of Viktor Kovalenko, who slotted in the rebound in the 33rd minute.

Both sides used the closing stages to express themselves more freely, playing with flair and imagination, but it was Dallinga who finally found a winner.

Four minutes from time, he rose to meet Lykogiannis’ cross and headed back across the goalkeeper to net his third goal across the semi-final, having netted a brace in the first leg.

Bologna will face Milan at the Stadio Olimpico on May 14.

We’re back in the Coppa Italia final after 51 years

See you in Rome #SiMuoveLaCittà pic.twitter.com/5C5SfSt8RG

— Bologna FC 1909 (@BolognaFC1909en) April 24, 2025

Data Debrief: A long time coming

Bologna will play in the Coppa Italia final for only the second time in their history, and for the first since May 1974 (in that case, they lifted the trophy after a penalty shootout win over Palermo).

Dallinga was at the heart of Bologna’s play once again, having four shots worth 1.03 expected goals (xG), while he also had six touches in the opposition box (a game-high).

Across the two legs, he was involved in four of Bologna’s five goals, having a total of 10 shots. He is also their highest scorer in the competition this term (three goals).