We’ve got everything you need to know about the 2024 Italian Super Cup, with four teams – Inter Milan, Fiorentina, Lazio and Napoli – due to fight it out.
Format Changes – A New Era for Supercoppa Italiana
The 2024 Supercoppa Italiana is the first time the tournament features four teams, as the Serie A and Coppa Italia winners are joined by the runners-up of each tournament to play in the semi-final and then the final. The tournament has for many years been held across the world, and this time returns to Saudi Arabia.
Teams in Contention – Who Will Vie for Supercoppa Glory?
The four teams who will be taking part this season are Napoli, Internazionale, Lazio and Fiorentina. Napoli are here courtesy of their famous Serie A triumph last season, and Inter Milan only fell short in the Champions League when they came up against winners Manchester CIty. Lazio, runners-up in Serie A, and Fiorentina, who lost in the Coppa Italia final, are going to hope they can spring a surprise.
Match Schedule – Mark Your Calendar
Semi-final: Napoli v Fiorentina
- Date: Thursday, January 18
- Time: 22:00 SAST / 21:00 CET / 20:00 GMT
- Venue: KSU Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Napoli did brilliantly last season with Victor Osimhen leading them to the Serie A title last season, but Luciano Spalletti left in the summer to take a break from club football. Rudi Garcia took over but was soon sacked as the team threatened to fall apart, and Walter Mazzarri has yet to get them back to their best. Players such as Kvicha Kvaratskhelia and Piotr Zielinski are both fundamental to the side.
Fiorentina are also just outside the Champions League spots, but finished in eighth last season. With Vincenzo Italiano in place as manager since 2021, they could build on this platform to succeed, with Nicolas Gonzalez a dangerous forward.
Semi-final: Inter Milan v Lazio
- Date: Friday, January 19
- Time: 22:00 SAST / 21:00 CET / 20:00 GMT
- Venue: KSU Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Inter Milan look to be favourites to land the Serie A title this year after falling short in 2022/23, and with Lautaro Martinez, Marcus Thuram and Benjamin Pavard, they have dangerous players up front and quality at the back.
Lazio are well off the pace in the new season and are the underdogs coming into the whole tournament, but with Maurizio Sarri pulling the strings, and veterans Ciro Immobile and Pedro alongside the talented Matteo Guendouzi behind them, they have a chance in any one-off tie.
Final
- Date: Monday, January 22
- Time: 22:00 SAST / 21:00 CET / 20:00 GMT
- Venue: Al -Awwal Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Evolution of the Tournament – From Inception to 2024
The Supercoppa Italiana was founded in 1988. Back then, it featured two teams, the winner of the Serie A title and the winner of the same season’s Coppa Italia. It was originally played at the start of the season to kick-off a new campaign, but it has more recently been played in the winter, where it is normally held outside Italy.
The first foreign-held Italian Super Cup was in 1993 in Washington, D.C., as Milan beat Torino, with China, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Libya also playing host in the past. Last year was the first post-Covid tournament to be played abroad, also in Riyadh. This season is the first time four teams will take part.
Saudi Arabia as the Host – A New Chapter for Supercoppa
With Saudi Arabia already hosting last season, and having done so twice before, and with Qatar the host in 2016, there are few surprises for teams and fans to watch the tournament take place in the Middle East. However it might mean more to fans now to see how Saudi Arabia deals with fans from abroad as they prepare to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Record-Holders and Defending Champions – Juventus and Inter Milan
Juventus hold the record for the mostSuper Cup victories, having won the tournament nine times, with their last win a 2-0 victory over Napoli in 2020. They have also suffered the heaviest defeat, 5-1 to Napoli in 1990, though they won by the same margin when they beat Lazio in 2013.
Inter Milan have the chance to retain the trophy, after beating AC Milan 3-0 in 2022, in Riyadh. A triumph this season would be the eighth time they have won the tournament,
Socios.com Partnership – Elevating Fan Engagement (Napoli and Inter)
Socios.com allows Napoli and Inter fans to earn Fan Tokens and use Fan Rewards to gain the chance of exclusive access to their side. Fan Tokens have allowed fans to get behind-the-scenes access to clubs, meet legends from their teams, check into games and choose not just their favourite players, but also take part in polls to pick things like first team kits and merchandise.
