Coppa Italia Final: Raging Romans Out to End Inter Milan's Treble Hope

May 5 is a famous date in Inter Milan’s history. It was on this very date exactly eight years ago that the Nerazzurri lost the Scudetto in the final round after a 4-2 defeat to SS Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico.

Tonight Inter will step out on to that very same field—albeit against Lazio’s fiercest rivals, AS Roma—with a chance to collect the first of three possible titles as José Mourinho’s men hope to record the club’s most successful season to date by wrapping up a historic treble.

The clashes between the Nerazzurri and the Giallorossi have become modern classics over the past couple of years—mainly becuase Roma have been the only team managing to pose any kind of threat to Inter’s supremacy since the unfolding of the infamous Calciopoli scandal.

This evening the two sides will go head to head in the Coppa Italia final for the fifth time in six years. While Inter’s main priorities lie with the Tricolore and the Champions League final, tonight’s mouthwatering clash poses Roma’s one genuine chance to finish the season with some silverware—and ruin Inter’s chance at a historic treble.

However, recent events have added yet more fuel to an already fiercely infested fire as Lazio's 2-0 “defeat” at the hands of Inter effectively ended I Lupi’s dream of lifting a fourth Scudetto.

Nevertheless, Roma only have themselves to blame for throwing away the numerous chances they created in their ultimate defeat at the hands of Sampdoria—the side’s first in an impressive 26-game unbeaten run. Unfortunately, that single defeat seems to have been enough to lose out on the prestigious title.

However, that hasn’t prevented the rage over Lazio’s capitulation over the weekend and the despicable behavior of their supporters to go unnoticed on the continent—and nowhere is the fury as tangible as it is in the other half of the Eternal City.

They say determination beats class any day of the week. But which is the strongest: the desire of making club history or the sweet taste of revenge?

Inter may be hot favorites for tonight’s clash, but Claudio Ranieri’s raging Romans are not to be underestimated in any way after the injustice the club feels they have been subjected to.

With the Eternal City acting as a legendary backdrop, tonight’s game will be the perfect setting to decide which one of Italy’s two best sides will stand as champions when referee Nicola Rizzoli blows the final whistle.

Inter were given a warm welcome when they visited the Olimpico on Sunday ,where both sets of fans of approximately 56,000 cheered and applauded the Nerazzurri’s every attempt at goal. Although a reported 15,000 Laziali are expected to fill the Curva Nord, Mourinho’s men are expected to receive a hostile reception as they walk out on the turf at the Olimpico.

So, will the Nerazzurri finally be able break the taboo of this historic date or will it once again come to represent a day of broken dreams?