The Numbers of the Final

Everything is set for the 38th edition of the EA SPORTS FC Super Cup final, the 15th to be played outside Italy and the sixth in Saudi Arabia.
It will once again be a clash between the reigning Italian champions and the holders of the Coppa Italia, as happened from 1988 to 2022, although in the 1995, 2000, 2006, 2010 and from 2015 to 2018 editions the final was contested by the Coppa Italia runners-up due to the league champions completing the “double.” After Inter and Milan, who have triumphed in the last two editions—the first played under the Final Four format—tonight either Napoli or Bologna will have the chance to write their name into the competition’s roll of honor. So far, the reigning Serie A champions have lifted the trophy on 65% of occasions (24 out of 37), while Coppa Italia holders have won it 10 times. Last year, for the first time, the team that finished second in the previous league season claimed the title. On five occasions, the most recent in 2016 (Milan’s victory over Juventus), the Super Cup was decided by a penalty shootout, While this is Bologna’s absolute debut in the competition and in the final, Napoli are making their sixth appearance—and their sixth final. They have won twice, in 1990 and 2014, defeating Juventus on both occasions. Their first triumph came after a resounding 5–1 win at the then San Paolo Stadium, with Maradona on the pitch. The most recent was on December 22, 2014, decided on penalties after a 2–2 draw at the end of extra time, featuring braces from Tevez and Higuaín and the decisive missed penalty by Pereyra. Napoli’s overall record in the competition stands at 3 wins, 1 draw and 3 defeats in 7 matches played, with 14 goals scored and 10 conceded. Napoli’s top scorers in the Super Cup are Careca, Higuaín, Silenzi and Zerbin, all with two goals, each scored as a brace. Paulo Dybala and Lautaro Martínez top the all-time scoring chart with four goals, followed by Samuel Eto’o, Alessandro Del Piero, Carlos Tevez and Andriy Shevchenko with three. Among managers, Simone Inzaghi leads the ranking of most successful coaches with five victories, ahead of Fabio Capello and Marcello Lippi on four. Massimiliano Allegri has three and could be matched by Antonio Conte in the event of a win.