Soccer Football - Coppa Italia - Final - Atalanta v Juventus - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - May 15, 2024 Juventus' Danilo lifts the trophy with teammates after winning the Coppa Italia final REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo
ROME (Reuters) -Juventus beat Atalanta 1-0 to win a record-extending 15th Coppa Italia on Wednesday as an early strike by Dusan Vlahovic earned Massimiliano Allegri's side their first trophy in three years.
Juve, who hold both the record for most Italian Cup finals played (22) and won, had not lifted any silverware since they won the competition in 2020-21, when they also beat Atalanta in the final.
Allegri, meanwhile, became the first coach to win the Coppa Italia five times after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Roberto Mancini lifted the trophy on four occasions.
"Very happy for the boys, they brought joy to the club, to the fans and to me. Winning is never easy, but it is in our DNA," Allegri told a press conference.
"If I am no longer the Juventus coach next year, I will leave a strong team. The club will make its evaluations."
Vlahovic put Juventus in front in the fourth minute when he latched onto a pass from Andrea Cambiaso and broke inside the box to send the ball past goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi from around the penalty spot.
Vlahovic, who also found the net when they lost the final to Inter Milan in 2022 (4-2), became the third Juve player to score in two Coppa Italia finals after John Charles (1958-59, 1959-60) and Savino Bellini (1937-38, 1941-42).
"I find it difficult to speak, I can only thank everyone," Vlahovic told Mediaset.
"We know the difficulties we faced, in the end we achieved the objectives set at the beginning of the year. I'm sorry for the Scudetto, but Inter deservedly won it.
"We are very happy, but next year we must aim to win everything. Juventus' DNA requires this."
The Serbia striker thought he doubled the lead in the 72nd minute, nodding home a lofted Cambiaso cross after the ball bounced in front of Carnesecchi and went into the net, but the goal was disallowed for an offside.
Juve quickly switched to defending their lead, creating chances on the counter attack, while preventing Atalanta from registering a single shot on target in the entire game.
Gian Piero Gasperini's side had more possession throughout the match but an effort from outside the box by striker Ademola Lookman that hit the post in the 80th minute turned out to be their best chance.
Atalanta, who next Wednesday face Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final, have reached two different finals for the first time in a single season.
It was Atalanta's fifth straight Coppa Italia final defeat after they won their sole title in 1962-63.
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk, editing by Pritha Sarkar and Toby Davis)
