Lazio Vs Inter Milan – Coppa Italia Final Preview: Thuram Likely Out, Sarri Suspended, Guida To Referee Wednesday's Showdown

The stage is set. Four days after Inter Milan dismantled Lazio 3-0 at the Stadio Olimpico in Serie A, the two sides return to the same ground on Wednesday night for the biggest prize left in Italian football — the Coppa Italia. But this time, the stakes are entirely different.

The 2025/26 Coppa Italia Final kicks off at 21:00 CEST on Wednesday, May 13, at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Inter arrive as Serie A champions and heavy favourites. Lazio arrive as underdogs — but with home advantage, a raucous crowd behind them, and a point to prove.

The Referee: Marco Guida Takes Charge Of His First Coppa Italia Final

The Lega Serie A has officially confirmed that Marco Guida, 44, from Torre Annunziata near Naples, will referee the final — the first Coppa Italia Final of his career.

The full officiating panel, as confirmed by Inter's official website:

Referee: Marco Guida
Assistants: Stefano Alassio and Giovanni Baccini
Fourth Official: Luca Zufferli
VAR: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni
AVAR: Aleandro Di Paolo

Guida has overseen 33 Inter matches in his career, with the Nerazzurri recording 17 wins, 10 draws and 6 defeats under him. His record with Lazio is more mixed — 12 wins, 8 draws and 12 losses, with 8 Lazio players sent off.

Unavailable Players

Lazio

Ivan Provedel is out for the season with a shoulder injury, leaving Edoardo Motta the hero of the Atalanta semi-final shootout to continue in goal.

Danilo Cataldi missed the last three matches with an adductor problem. He is expected to rejoin training but remains a doubt, with his match fitness still uncertain.

Matteo Cancellieri picked up a slight knock during Saturday's league defeat to Inter and is unlikely to feature from the start. Perhaps most significantly, Maurizio Sarri will not be on the touchline, serving a touchline suspension. Losing their head coach for a cup final of this magnitude is a major blow for the Biancocelesti.

Mattia Zaccagni, who missed Saturday's game with a knock, is expected to recover in time to captain the side.

Inter Milan

Hakan Calhanoglu remains sidelined with a thigh injury and is not training with the squad. He will watch from the stands.

Marcus Thuram is the major injury concern. The France international picked up a knock in Monday's training session and is unlikely to recover in time for Wednesday. Further tests were required to determine the full extent of the injury, but the prognosis is not encouraging. Thuram had been in outstanding form, 18 goals across all competitions this season, making his potential absence a significant blow for Cristian Chivu.

Francesco Pio Esposito is back in the squad after a back problem, though Ange-Yoan Bonny is considered the more likely starter alongside Lautaro Martinez should Thuram miss out.

Predicted Lineups

Lazio (4-3-3) — Five Changes Expected

According to Il Corriere dello Sport, Sarri is expected to make five changes from the side beaten at the weekend, reinstating key players who were rested or have shaken off knocks.

Nuno Tavares returns at left-back in place of Luca Pellegrini. Patric is the favourite to start in the regista role, offering more defensive cover than Nicolo Rovella — who is expected to feature from the bench. Kenneth Taylor comes in for Fisayo Dele-Bashiru in midfield, while Mattia Zaccagni returns on the left wing. Gustav Isaksen starts on the right, with Tijjani Noslin leading the line.

Lazio predicted XI (4-3-3): Motta; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Tavares; Basic, Patric, Taylor; Isaksen, Noslin, Zaccagni.

Players one booking away from suspension: Cancellieri, Gila, Lazzari, Tavares.

Inter Milan (3-5-2) — Bonny and Lautaro To Lead The Line

With Thuram almost certainly absent, Ange-Yoan Bonny is expected to partner Lautaro Martinez in attack. In midfield, Nicolo Barella returns to the starting XI alongside Petar Sucic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Piotr Zielinski. Federico Dimarco and Denzel Dumfries are expected as wingbacks, with Yann Sommer potentially preferred in goal for a match of this magnitude.

Inter predicted XI (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Zielinski, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Bonny, L. Martinez.

Players one booking away from suspension: Esposito, Kamate, Sucic.

The Road To The Final

Lazio's Coppa Italia run began in the Round of 16 with a 1-0 win over AC Milan, courtesy of a Zaccagni goal. They then edged past Bologna on penalties in the quarter-finals after a 1-1 draw, before a dramatic semi-final against Atalanta — level at 2-2 on aggregate — was settled by goalkeeper Edoardo Motta, who saved four of five Atalanta penalties to send the Biancocelesti through.

Inter's route to the final was equally eventful. They thrashed Venezia 5-1 in the Round of 32, beat Torino 2-1 in the quarter-finals, and then produced a stunning comeback in the semi-final against Como, overturning a 0-2 deficit to win 3-2 in the second leg.

Key Storylines

Can Lazio cause an upset? The Biancocelesti have not beaten Inter in nine consecutive meetings, with their last victory dating back to August 2022. Inter have won both Serie A encounters this season 2-0 at San Siro and 3-0 at the Olimpico just four days ago. History is firmly against Lazio.

Inter chasing the double. A win on Wednesday would give Inter their first domestic double since Jose Mourinho's treble-winning side in 2010. Chivu played under Mourinho that season and knows exactly what it would mean for the club.

Sarri's absence looms large. Managing a cup final from the stands, without the ability to make real-time tactical adjustments from the touchline, is a significant handicap — particularly against a side as tactically astute as Inter.

Lazio's penalty shootout pedigree. The Biancocelesti have won both of their Coppa Italia knockout ties on penalties this season. If they can drag Inter into extra time, they will fancy their chances especially with Motta in inspired form.