Italian teams have historically performed well in European competitions, but this season, no Italian club will reach a semifinal. All Champions League participants were eliminated in the Round of 16.
Key points
No Italian teams will reach a European semifinal this season
Inter Milan and Napoli were eliminated from the Champions League
Bologna and Fiorentina are the last Italian teams in European competitions
Inter Milan lost to Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League playoffs
InterFiorentinaRomaBologna
Remembering the Last Two Times Italy Didnât Have a Single European Semifinalist
Remembering the Last Two Times Italy Didnât Have a Single European Semifinalist
Italian teams have shone in European competition in recent years. Current Serie A league leaders Inter have reached two Champions League finals in three seasons, while Fiorentina have two Conference League finals under their belt, and Roma have reached two European finals as well. However, it looks as though no Italian outfit will be reaching a final this term.
All four of the countryâs Champions League participants were dumped out by the Round of 16, with reigning champions Napoli eliminated after the initial league phase and last seasonâs beaten finalists Inter shockingly beaten by Norwegian minnows Bodø/Glimt in the knockout phase playoffs.
Itâs a similar story in both the Europa League and the Conference League, with just Bologna remaining in the former and Fiorentina in the latter. And both of them have mountains to climb if they are to reach the semifinals of their respective competitions.
Bologna and Fiorentina Have Mountains to Climb
Bologna were given a tough task when they were drawn to play tournament favourites Aston Villa, and the English outfit duly swept them aside by three goals to one in the first leg in Emilia-Romagna. Two-time finalists Fiorentina find themselves in an even worse position in the Conference League after also losing to a Premier League side, slumping to a 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Online betting sites now make both English teams the clear favourites not just to progress, but also to end the season with continental silverware.
Q&A
When was the last time Italy had no teams in European semifinals?
The last two instances when Italy had no teams in European semifinals were in the 2010-11 and 2014-15 seasons.
Which Italian teams were eliminated from the Champions League this season?
This season, Napoli, Inter, and two other Italian teams were eliminated from the Champions League in the Round of 16.
What is the current status of Italian teams in European competitions?
Currently, Bologna is the only Italian team remaining in the Europa League, while Fiorentina is still in the Conference League.
How did Inter Milan perform in the Champions League playoffs?
Inter Milan was shockingly eliminated by Norwegian team Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League knockout phase playoffs.
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Popular betting outlet Ozoon sportsbook makes Aston Villa a 5/4 favourite to win the Europa League, while Crystal Palace find themselves in the same position in the Conference League. For Bologna and Fiorentina, a quarterfinal exit appears likely, and should that ultimately come to fruition, it would mark the first time in seven years that Italy hasnât had a semifinalist in any European competition. So, what happened the last time around? Letâs take a look.
The biggest news in the summer of 2018 was Cristiano Ronaldoâs blockbuster arrival in Turin, with Juventus forking out âŹ112m to sign the Portuguese legend from Real Madrid. CR7 was supposed to finally deliver the Champions League to the Bianconeri at long last, and because he had won the tournament in each of the last three seasons with Los Blancos, the possibility seemed very real. Shockingly, however, Juve wouldnât even reach the semifinals.
Max Allegriâs men pulled off a stunning comeback against Atletico Madrid in the Round of 16, overturning a two-goal first-leg deficit after Ronaldoâs stunning second-leg hat trick. However, in the quarterfinals, an upstart Ajax would continue their surprising march. The Amsterdam outfit had just knocked off reigning champions Real Madrid in their second round clash, eliminating Los Blancos from the tournament for the first time since 2015. And in the quarters, they would send Juve packing as well, winning 2-1 in the Allianz Stadium despite Ronaldoâs early opener.
But Juventus werenât the only team to endure misery that term. Both Inter and Napoli would drop into the Europa League after finishing third in their UCL groups, then went on to lose to Eintracht Frankfurt and Arsenal, respectively. Roma did make the Champions League knockout round but were immediately eliminated in the Round of 16 by FC Porto. Milan would exit Europeâs secondary competition at the group stage, while Lazio were handily beaten by Sevilla in the Round of 32.
LONDON, ENGLAND â JUNE 01: Zinedine Zidane places the Champions League Trophy onto the plinth after the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 Final match between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid CF at Wembley Stadium on June 01, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
In 2015, three years before Cristiano Ronaldoâs arrival, Juventus reached the Champions League final, becoming the first Italian club to do so in five years. While they were ultimately beaten in the Berlin showpiece by a Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar-powered Barcelona, hopes were still high that the Bianconeri could build upon their shock run to the final. Unfortunately, that wasnât to be the case.
Juve would exit the 2015/16 Champions League at the Round of 16 after losing a thrilling two-legged tie to Bayern Munich. After a 2-2 draw in Turin, it looked as though the Italian giants would get the job done in the second leg in Bavaria, leading by two goals to nil with less than 20 minutes remaining. Then, goals from Robert Lewandowski and a last-gasp Thomas MĂźller header forced extra time, where the Germans would complete the comeback, winning 4-2.
Roma were also eliminated at the same stage, having been beaten 2-0 home and away by eventual champions Real Madrid. The Giallorossiâs eternal rival, Lazio, meanwhile, didnât even reach the group stage after losing to Bayer Leverkusen in the playoffs.
That saw the Eagles drop into the Europa League. They would fare somewhat better in the continentâs secondary tournament, but ultimately fell to Slavia Prague in the Round of 16 after a shocking 3-0 home defeat in the Stadio Olimpico. Fiorentina also progressed to the knockout round of that seasonâs UEL, but their journey was also short-lived, losing to Tottenham Hotspur in the Round of 32.