inter milan met Como in the Coppa Italia semifinal second leg at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on 21 Apr 2026, the tie level after a 0-0 first leg.
Cristian Chivu's Selection Decisions
Chivu managed Inter's build-up with clear selection questions hanging over his squad: Lautaro Martinez, Marcus Thuram and Alessandro Bastoni were named as fitness doubts ahead of the match while Carlos Augusto returned from suspension. The coach's choices mattered because the winner would advance to the final at San Siro to face either Lazio or Atalanta.
Lautaro Martinez, Thuram, Bastoni Doubts
Inter entered the tie on a strong run — unbeaten since losing the Derby della Madonnina and fresh from a 3-0 win over Cagliari on the Friday before 21 Apr 2026 — but the three fitness doubts complicated the lineup outlook. Inter had already eliminated Venezia and Torino in this Coppa Italia campaign and were aiming to lift the trophy for a 10th time, a prize that would complete the domestic cup column missing since their 2010 league-and-cup double under Jose Mourinho.
Martin Baturina and Jean Butez
Como brought their own pressure: four straight Serie A defeats arriving on a 12-3 aggregate scoreline and a 2-1 loss to Sassuolo on the Friday before the semifinal. Still, Martin Baturina found space and scored during the live match action, and Como threatened again when Marc Oliver Kempf crashed a header off the bar. Inter pushed forward too — Federico Dimarco tested Jean Butez, whose save kept the contest open.
Inter's recent meetings with Como added context to the night. The sides had met three times earlier that season, including a 4-3 Serie A match in which Inter recovered from two goals down to win, demonstrating both teams knew how to swing a tie quickly. Inter's domestic potency showed across the campaign: the side had amassed 78 league goals, a figure that underpinned their cup ambitions.
The friction point was straightforward. Como's Serie A slump suggested vulnerability, but Baturina's strike and Kempf's header off the bar exposed defensive gaps Inter could not treat as guaranteed. At the same time, Chivu's management of Martinez, Thuram and Bastoni risked reducing attacking or defensive firepower at the decisive moment; Carlos Augusto's return from suspension partially mitigated that risk but did not erase it.
For supporters and club staff, the outcome of Chivu's selections carried the evening. If Inter converted their chances — pressing from the front despite the three doubts — they would move on to face Lazio or Atalanta in the Coppa Italia final. If Como exploited those absences and their brief flashes of attacking form, they could upset a side chasing a 10th cup and a rare double-in-season reference point back to 2010.
Chivu himself remained the central figure: he oversaw the tactical plan while managing the fitness list, and his lineup decisions effectively left the path to the final in his hands. The match at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on 21 Apr 2026 resolved which club advanced and determined whether Inter's season would include a shot at a 10th Coppa Italia or whether Como would reach their first cup final.
