'We earned this place' – Italiano eyeing Supercoppa upset with Bologna

Vincenzo Italiano insists his Bologna team are not there to merely make up the numbers at the Supercoppa Italiana, ahead of their semi-final clash with Inter. 

Italiano led Bologna to their first major title since 1974 last season in the Coppa Italia, with Dan Ndoye's 53rd-minute strike enough to see off AC Milan at Stadio Olimpico. 

Indeed, this will be Bologna's first-ever match in the Supercoppa Italiana, and they will be looking to follow in the footsteps of two fellow debutants to win the competition. 

Only Lazio against Juventus in 1998 and Fiorentina against Milan in 1996 have won their first Supercoppa game, though the format has changed since their triumphs. 

The competition is now made up of four teams, with Coppa Italia runners-up Milan joined by Serie A champions Napoli and Inter, who finished second in the top flight in 2024-25. 

Bologna are unbeaten in five of their last six meetings against Inter in all competitions (W3 D2), after losing 11 of their previous 16 official games against them (W3 D2).

"It's a knockout game, with penalties after 90 minutes, so it's a different kind of game," Italiano said of Bologna's chances of causing an upset against Cristian Chivu's team. 

"It's also a different Inter, involving many players and offering something new tactically. 

"Apart from the game against Liverpool, decided by a questionable incident, they are a team that plays well, aggressively and creates chances.

"They are champions, and Chivu has brought quite a few new ideas. We know we're facing one of the best teams in Italy and in Europe.

"We're not just happy and proud to be here. I always tell the lads there's something to prove and something to lose, so we have to be ready.

"We earned this place. We're in good shape even though we're coming off a league defeat, but we approach every competition with enthusiasm and confidence."

After a 1-0 win in their last Serie A meeting in April, Bologna could win back-to-back matches against Inter for the first time since between May and November 1999.

And while Italiano has been boosted by the return of Ciro Immobile, who scored twice in Lazio's Supercoppa Italiana victory over Juventus in 2017, the Bologna coach revealed that the major concerns surrounding his team are in defence. 

"Immobile won't be able to start. He doesn't have the minutes in his legs, but he can give us a big help during the match," Italiano said.

"There's some concern about him getting injured again, but right now I see him calm and playing freely.

"Having him means personality, goals, experience and danger. I hope to increase his minutes soon.

"We have major difficulties in defence. [Lorenzo] De Silvestri and [Charalampos] Lykogiannis have already helped us by adapting [to a centre-back position]. 

"Jhon Lucumi is doing much better with his tendon, [Martin] Vitik joined the group for the first time yesterday, and numerically, we are adding some players.

"We want to do well, also for the club chairman [Joey Saputo]. He suffers when we lose, and it's a spectacle when we win. I repeat, there is enormous pride."