Fri May 09 20:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Bologna Faces Milan in Coppa Italia Final: Past Experiences Offer Cautionary Tale

**Milan, Italy** – Ahead of Wednesday’s Coppa Italia final between AC Milan and Bologna, former Lazio player Simone Parolo drew parallels to the 2019 Coppa Italia final, where his Lazio team faced Atalanta. Parolo highlighted the psychological pressure experienced by Atalanta, who despite being the home team at the Stadio Olimpico, found themselves unexpectedly cast as underdogs by the media. This, he believes, contributed to their loss.

“Atalanta, despite being favorites on paper, felt the pressure,” Parolo recalled. “The newspapers declared they *couldn’t* lose. This shifted the focus, and the players, perhaps lacking experience in such high-stakes matches, succumbed to anxiety.”

Parolo cautioned Bologna against a similar fate. While acknowledging Bologna’s strong form and potential to perform well at San Siro, he warned against the pressure of a one-off final. A strong performance in the upcoming league match against Milan tonight will not guarantee success in the cup final. Failure to win Wednesday’s match means missing out on the coveted trophy entirely. He emphasized the importance of maintaining focus and avoiding the pitfalls of heightened expectations.

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