In one of the biggest upsets of the Coppa Italia, relegation-threatened Empoli stunned Juventus with a dramatic 4-2 penalty shootout victory after a 1-1 draw in Turin. The Tuscan side, struggling in Serie A with only two points from their last 11 matches, defied expectations to book a historic semi-final clash with Bologna. Luca Marianucci scored the decisive penalty, sealing Empoli’s place in the last four for the first time in the club’s history.
Juventus, desperate to keep their silverware hopes alive, found themselves trailing at halftime after Youssef Maleh’s powerful strike put Empoli ahead. The home side was loudly jeered by their own fans as they headed into the break, struggling to break down a resilient Empoli defense. However, Khephren Thuram produced a moment of brilliance in the 66th minute, dribbling past Liam Henderson with a stunning back-heeled flick before rifling home the equalizer, forcing the game into a penalty shootout.
Despite Juve’s second-half dominance, they faltered under pressure from the penalty spot. Dusan Vlahovic missed their first attempt, sending his shot high over the crossbar, while Kenan Yildiz saw his effort saved by Empoli’s goalkeeper Devis Vasquez. Meanwhile, Empoli kept their nerve, converting all four of their penalties to complete their fairytale night.
The victory marks a turning point for Empoli, who have struggled in the league but showed remarkable composure and resilience against one of Italy’s football giants. Their reward is a two-legged semi-final clash against Bologna in April, where they will seek to continue their unlikely run toward silverware.
Elsewhere in the Coppa Italia, Inter Milan secured their place in the other semi-final after a convincing 2-0 win over Lazio. This sets up a thrilling Milan derby, as Inter will face their city rivals AC Milan in the next round. With Juventus now out of contention, the race for the Coppa Italia trophy has taken an unexpected turn, opening the door for a new champion to emerge.
