Bologna FC is headed to the Italian Super Cup final after a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Inter Milan, settled by a penalty shootout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Super Cup, an annual contest between the Serie A champions and Coppa Italia winners – plus the respective runners-up – pits Italy’s top clubs against each other on neutral ground. Bologna will face SSC Napoli in the final, after Napoli defeated AC Milan in the other semifinal matchup earlier this week.This year’s tournament marks the second consecutive year the Super cup has been hosted outside of Italy, continuing a controversial deal with Saudi Arabian authorities.
Bologna FC advanced to the final of the Italian Super Cup after a 1-1 draw with Inter Milan, ultimately winning the match on penalties. The Super Cup semifinal, contested between two of Serie A’s top teams, took place in Saudi Arabia.
The match remained deadlocked after regulation time, sending the contest to a penalty shootout where Bologna proved more clinical. They will now face SSC Napoli, who previously eliminated AC Milan in the other semifinal. This four-team tournament is being held in Saudi Arabia.
ZOBACZ WIDEO: Brzęczek musiał się wkupić do kadry? “Wtedy się zdenerwowałem”
Piotr Zieliński started for Inter Milan and played 86 minutes before being substituted by Petar Sučić. The Polish midfielder even found himself preparing to take a penalty during the match, but the spot-kick was ultimately disallowed after a VAR review.
Zieliński received largely positive reviews from Italian media outlets following his performance. leggo.it awarded him a score of 6.5 out of 10 – one of the highest ratings within the Inter squad. “His plays demonstrate great intelligence. He wasn’t at his peak, partly due to the blow he took,” the site wrote, referencing a collision in the 43rd minute that forced Zieliński to briefly leave the field before returning to continue playing.
sport.virgilio.it also gave Zieliński a 6.5, adding, “He played more consistently in the second half and took greater control of the midfield.”
Sky Sports Italia’s editors were even more impressed, awarding Zieliński a “7” for his performance. goal.com was slightly more critical, giving the Polish international a score of 6.
However, Eurosport Italy delivered the lowest rating, giving Zieliński a 5.5. “He was supposed to be the playmaker and the reference point in midfield, but he struggled. Few forward passes, many inaccuracies. A little better after the break, but certainly not brilliant,” they assessed.
This was the 31-year-old’s 20th appearance for the club this season across all competitions, where he has tallied two goals and two assists.
