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Coppa Italia

Coppa Italia, meaning the Italian Cup, is one of Italy's oldest and most decorated soccer competitions. The competition began back in 1922 and is the second most important national soccer championship in Italy, after Serie A. It is a knockout cup contested by some of Italy's top sides, including heavyweights such as AC Milan, Juventus, and Lazio. The tournament's format is single-elimination, meaning that one mistake can end a team's hopes of victory. The eventual winner is crowned cup winner and qualifies for the UEFA Europa League. The event usually begins in August or September and follows all the way through to the final which is staged in May. The first phase eliminates almost all the clubs who are eligible to participate and are not participating in the Champions League or Europa League. The remaining teams then enter the playoffs, culminating in a two-legged final. The Coppa Italia consists of a total of 61 teams, 7 of which qualify straight for the Round of 16 due to their outstanding performance in Serie A. On each matchday, there are four exciting fixtures with each team playing another for the chance to advance and lift the trophy. The most successful teams in the tournament's history are Juventus, who have won the tournament 12 times, followed by Roma, Inter Milan and Lazio who have won 9, 7 and 6 Coppa Italia titles respectively. Some of the stars playing for these sides include the likes of Paulo Dybala, Cristiano Ronaldo, Edin Džeko, Romelu Lukaku and Luis Alberto to name a few. Some of the iconic moments that remain etched in history include Roma's incredible 3-1 aggregate win over rivals Lazio to win the 2012 Coppa Italia. In 2008, Inter Milan won their third title in a row, a first for a club in the competition's history while in 2002, Parma won the final on penalties over Fiorentina which was voted the greatest ever Coppa Italia Final. The Coppa Italia is an exciting tournament that provides a platform for Italian sides and international players to compete and showcase their talent. The competition's history and pedigree make it one of the most prestigious and sought-after domestic trophy in the Italian football calendar.