Serie A champion Inter aiming for the double in Italian Cup final, Lazio eyeing Europe

MILAN (AP) — Just four days after facing off against each other in the league, Lazio and Inter Milan meet again at the Stadio Olimpico. This time with a title at stake.

And both teams know that winning Wednesday’s Italian Cup final would mean much more than lifting the trophy.

For newly-crowned Serie A champion Inter Milan it is a chance to cement its domination of Italian soccer this season after the disappointment of last year. For Lazio, it is a path back into Europe.

Not since José Mourinho led Inter to a treble in 2010 — including the Champions League trophy — has Inter won the league and cup in the same season.

Inter coach Christian Chivu, who is quickly making a name for himself in the managerial ranks after helping Parma avoid relegation last season, played on the 2010 team.

“There’s no need to compare different eras or different teams,” Chivu said. “Times change, soccer changes.

“Both the 2010 team and this 2026 side have brought happiness to the fans, and that’s what matters most.”

Chivu is in his first season at Inter after replacing Simone Inzaghi. Doing the double would assuage the disappointment of last campaign, which promised so much but ultimately left Inter empty-handed.

With just over a month to go to the end of last season, Inter was on course for a treble of trophies but finished one point below Serie A champion Napoli, lost in the Italian Cup semifinals and was routed 5-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the most lopsided Champions League final in history.

There is no chance of a treble this year as Inter was eliminated by Norwegian upstart Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League.

The Nerazzurri have bounced back from that disappointment and, after clinching the Serie A title with three rounds to spare, show little sign of letting up.

Indeed Inter crushed Lazio 3-0 on Saturday in Serie A, in a dress rehearsal for Wednesday’s cup final in the same stadium in Rome.

Inter was utterly dominant in the first half but Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri placed the blame on his players’ approach.

“Inter is stronger, but with this attitude we would concede two goals against any team,” Sarri said after the match. “We shouldn’t be scared, that attitude is our fault and not down to the merits of Inter.

“(The final) will be a different match and it’s clear that we don’t want to have this approach, it’s also clear that Inter is technically superior.”

For Lazio, it is the only chance to play European soccer next season as the winner of the Italian Cup qualifies for the Europa League.

If Inter — which will play in the Champions League next season — wins, then the Europa League place will be given to the team which finishes sixth in the league, with the seventh-place finisher going into the European Conference League.

Lazio is ninth, seven points below seventh-place Atalanta, with only two league matches remaining.

“There’s no need to change our heads, today’s approach is the result of the fact that today’s match didn’t count for anything unlike Wednesday,” Sarri said. “But it is a mistake to think like that, there was some chance of reaching seventh place and these matches can create fear, which stops you.

“It’s not ideal, but I hope the boys are willing to show that this isn’t them because there’s a trophy up for grabs.”

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Inter Milan's head coach Cristian Chivu celebrates their victory at the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Parma, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Lazio's Gustav Isaksen, left, and Inter Milan's Luis Henrique vie for the ball during a Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Inter Milan, in Rome, Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Fabrizio Corradetti/LaPresse via AP)

Inter Milan's Petar Sucic celebrates after scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Inter Milan, in Rome, Italy, Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Fabrizio Corradetti/LaPresse via AP)

Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez, left, controls the ball from Lazio's Adam Marušić during a Serie A soccer match, in Rome, Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Fabrizio Corradetti/LaPresse via AP)

Inter Milan's head coach Cristian Chivu celebrates their victory at the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Parma, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand 's government approved emergency funds Tuesday for flood victims amounting to $122 million following a deluge that had battered the country since mid-September, affecting more than 2.6 million people and killing at least 19.

The country's capital, Bangkok, was recovering after days of torrential rains and widespread flooding, but some disruptions remained. Thailand's main airport, which had been struck with flight cancellations, was struggling with a major baggage backlog.

According to government spokesperson Ekkapob Pianpises, the approved funds of 4.1 billion baht would be disseminated by the Interior Ministry to compensate people impacted by the floods nationwide.

Rain has largely stopped in Bangkok, but some neighborhoods, particularly in the east, are still inundated. The city's governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, said traffic should return to normal on most main roads within two days, although in some low-lying areas it could take up to seven days for roads to dry out.

While Bangkok was expected to stay dry, heavy rain was forecast elsewhere in Thailand for Tuesday, the Thailand Meteorological Department said.

Industry Minister Varawut Silpa-archa said the flooding had caused an estimated 22 million baht (about $655,000) in damage to businesses nationwide. Residents in 29 out of Thailand's 76 provinces remained impacted by the floods on Tuesday, officials said. Of the 19 deaths, four took place in Bangkok.

Thai Airways, one of the main airlines handling baggage at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, apologized to affected passengers for a massive luggage backlog, which the airline attributed in part to staff shortages caused by the flooding.

Hundreds of suitcases were seen lining up at the arrivals area on Tuesday. The Thai Air Force said it had sent personnel to the airport to assist with the luggage problem.

“I sincerely apologize to all passengers for the inconvenience caused. Thai Airways is making every effort to ensure that passengers are reunited with their baggage as soon as possible,” said Chai Eamsiri, the airline's CEO.

The airline also canceled more than 10 of its domestic and international flights on Tuesday and Wednesday.

In Bang Kapi, one of Bangkok's hardest hit neighborhoods, residents waded through floodwater, and some used small boats to get around.

A makeshift market was set up on a raised walkway just outside a mall shortly after the flooding, and vendors from a nearby market, where the water remained knee-high, had moved there, selling meat, vegetables and herbs. Music blared from loudspeakers and vendors called out to customers who waded through floodwater or walked through the mall to get to them.

Lon Cheng, a Cambodian vendor who has lived in Thailand for over 20 years, cheerfully called to customers and danced along with the music behind his vegetable stall.

He said he had suffered huge losses in the floods.

“The first day ... I spent about 70,000 baht (about $2,100) and I could sell for only 20,000 baht (about $600),” he said. “It was a big loss, but with losses I still need to sell.”

Neighboring countries have also been battered by the floods. In Myanmar, at least 10 people were killed and dozens were missing after heavy rain triggered widespread flooding and landslides in the southern coastal region of Tanintharyi, local media reported.

Flash floods also struck at least 10 provinces in Cambodia, affecting 44,889 families and forcing nearly 4,000 people to evacuate, according to disaster management officials. At the centuries-old Angkor temple complex, workers were opening water gates and diversion systems to reduce the risk of flooding at the archeological site.

In this photo made from smartphone, rows of undelivered luggage are placed in the arrivals hall at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, after flooding affected operations. (AP Photo/Celine Rosario)

Rows of undelivered luggage are placed in the arrivals hall at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Samut Prakan, Thailand, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, after heavy rain and floods in Bangkok prevent airport workers from getting to work. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A man wades through floodwaters after heavy rain in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

People wade through a flooded street after heavy rain in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A man paddles a rubber raft through a flooded street after heavy rain in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

People wade through a flooded street after heavy rain in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Streets are flooded after heavy rain in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)