Coppa Italia: The Goddess and the Old Lady aim for Cup Glory

Juventus vs Atalanta

Atalanta and Juventus meet at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday in search of a shiny piece of silverware in the 2024 Coppa Italia final.

La Dea reached the final thanks to a 4-2 aggregate win over Fiorentina, while I Bianconeri edged out Lazio, winning 2-0 at home before scraping a 2-1 loss in Rome as Arkad Milik scored a late aggregate winner, minutes after coming off the bench. 

The pressure for success is arguably on Juventus boss Max Allegri, who has seen his side struggle in Serie A in recent months, falling way off the pace in the race for the Scudetto, and a cup would appease their fans who suffered Coppa heartbreak at the hands of Inter Milan just two years ago.

Gian Piero Gasperini has been in charge at Atalanta for eight years now, and he has overseen a rich period in the club’s history with regular European campaigns and a reputation for free-flowing attacking football and a first Coppa Italia title since 1963 would be a fitting reward for another fine campaign. 

Atalanta have just helped Juventus qualify for the 2024-25 Champions League by beating Roma 2-1 on Sunday, a result that left La Dea in pole position for the fifth Champions League spot.

And Gasperini’s side come into the game in much better form, but the Old Lady’s voracious appetite for silverware will make this a real battle, and the latest Coppa Italia 2024 betting odds can hardly split the two finalists. 

 

Talking points

Slow starters Juventus need to wake up

Juventus haven’t scored first in any of their last five matches in all competitions, and they have Atalanta to thank for getting them out of another hole on Sunday.

While La Dea was seeing off AS Roma, the Old Lady was stumbling to a scrappy 1-1 draw at home to longtime relegated Salernitana, with midfielder Adrien Rabiot grabbing an injury time leveller.

It was a third draw on the bounce for Juve, and it was just enough to see them through to the Champions League, alongside the two Milan giants and Thiago Motta’s surprise package, Bologna.

In fairness, Juventus’ previous two games were against Roma, a 1-1 away draw and a goalless home stalemate against AC Milan, so Allegri’s side is still hard for the top teams to beat. 

It is up front where I Bianconeri has struggled, and Allegri will hope to see a spark from his talented duo of Dusan Vlahovic and Federico Chiesa, while Milik, the top scorer in the competition with four goals, is pushing for a start. 

 

Atalanta are spinning plates

While Juventus have been without a trophy in three years and this is their only chance this season, Atalanta have never been the serial silverware collectors, and they have two chances, with a Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen still to come later in May.

 Xabi Alonso’s Bundesliga champions have been sensational this season and are still unbeaten, but La Dea hammered Liverpool en route to the final, so she will have no fear.

Belgian striker Charles de Ketelaere, on loan from AC Milan, comes into the game on the back of a brace against I Giallorossi, while in Ademola Lookman and Gianluca Scammaca, Gasperini has forwards with Premier League experience and in good form, and Netherlands creative midfielder Teun Koopmeiners can provide the ammunition.

This is a club on the up again, and with two cup finals and a great chance of replicating last season’s fifth-place Serie A finish, this could be La Dea’s best year yet.

 

History

Atalanta won the Coppa Italia in 1963 but have lost all four of their finals since, the most recent in 2021 to Juventus, so La Dea will be looking for some revenge.

With 35 victories to five I Bianconeri have totally bossed the head-to-heads, though both meetings resulted in a draw this season—a goalless scrap in Bergamo and a 2-2 draw in Turin in March. 

Juventus have earned just 15 points from their last 15 league games and are without a win in six, drawing five and losing one, while La Dea are without a loss in six, winning five and drawing one. 

 

Betting Tip

With Juventus at SBOTOP odds of 2.51 to win the final and Atalanta at 2.48, this one really is on a knife edge.

An alternative approach will give you Juventus Draw No Bet at 1.94 and Atalanta at 1.90, and both have merit. While their Serie A campaign rather ground to a halt I Bianconeri’s Coppa Italia 2024 results held up, and Atalanta have been strong all round.  2-3 goals is priced at 1.85, but I think the value sits in another draw to follow the 2-2 and the 0-0…this time at 1-1. 

   

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