MILAN (AP) — Inter Milan midfielder Federico Dimarco celebrated his Serie A MVP award by scoring against Bologna as a much-changed Nerazzurri drew their final match of the season 3-3 on Saturday.
The match mattered little as Inter already owned the league title — and the Italian Cup — while Bologna had no chance of qualifying for Europe.
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Lazio's Pedro celebrates after scoring during a Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Pisa, Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Rome, Italy. ( Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)
Inter's Francesco Pio Esposito, left, and Bologna's Jhon Lucumi vie for the ball, during the Serie A soccer match between Bologna and Inter Milan, in Bologna, Italy, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Gianni Santandrea/LaPresse via AP)
Bologna's Juan Miranda fights for the ball with Inter's Andy Diouf, right, during the Serie A soccer match between Bologna and Inter Milan, in Bologna, Italy, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Gianni Santandrea/LaPresse via AP)
Inter Milan coach Cristian Chivu sits on the bench ahead of the Serie A soccer match between Bologna and Inter Milan, in Bologna, Italy, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Gianni Santandrea/LaPresse via AP)
Inter's Federico Dimarco scores, during the Serie A soccer match between Bologna and Inter Milan, in Bologna, Italy, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Gianni Santandrea/LaPresse via AP)
Inter's Federico Dimarco celebrates scoring, during the Serie A soccer match between Bologna and Inter Milan, in Bologna, Italy, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Gianni Santandrea/LaPresse via AP)
Inter coach Cristian Chivu gave players going to the World Cup an extra week off — namely Hakan Calhanoglu, Manuel Akanji, Marcus Thuram and Denzel Dumfries — but captain Lautaro Martínez started as the Argentina forward had only recently come back from injury and needed more playing time.
Dimarco, who was presented with his award just before the match, scored the opener with a stunning 25-yard free kick into the top right corner.
Federico Bernardeschi leveled just three minutes later and Bologna took the lead shortly before halftime when Tommaso Pobega’s volley took a double deflection.
Bologna lost half of its previous home matches this season but it appeared as if it was on course for victory at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara when Inter midfielder Piotr Zieliński turned a cross into his own net early in the second half.
But Pio Esposito reduced the deficit in the 64th when he tapped in a rebound after Andy Diouf's effort bounced off the post. Diouf got on the scoresheet himself in the 86th.
Pedro bid farewell to Lazio with the winning goal in a 2-1 comeback victory at home against already-relegated Pisa.
The 38-year-old winger is leaving Lazio after five years with the capital club. Pedro previously played for Barcelona, Chelsea and Roma and won a sackful of trophies, including the World Cup with Spain in 2010 and the European Championship two years later.
Lazio players wore a special commemorative patch on their shirts for his final match.
Stefano Moreo headed Pisa in front but its lead didn't last long and Lazio turned the match around with two goals in as many minutes from Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Pedro.
Most of the rest of the final round of Serie A takes place on Sunday night, with four teams battling for the final two Champions League places and two teams fighting against relegation.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Lazio's Pedro celebrates after scoring during a Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Pisa, Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Rome, Italy. ( Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)
Inter's Francesco Pio Esposito, left, and Bologna's Jhon Lucumi vie for the ball, during the Serie A soccer match between Bologna and Inter Milan, in Bologna, Italy, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Gianni Santandrea/LaPresse via AP)
Bologna's Juan Miranda fights for the ball with Inter's Andy Diouf, right, during the Serie A soccer match between Bologna and Inter Milan, in Bologna, Italy, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Gianni Santandrea/LaPresse via AP)
Inter Milan coach Cristian Chivu sits on the bench ahead of the Serie A soccer match between Bologna and Inter Milan, in Bologna, Italy, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Gianni Santandrea/LaPresse via AP)
Inter's Federico Dimarco scores, during the Serie A soccer match between Bologna and Inter Milan, in Bologna, Italy, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Gianni Santandrea/LaPresse via AP)
Inter's Federico Dimarco celebrates scoring, during the Serie A soccer match between Bologna and Inter Milan, in Bologna, Italy, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Gianni Santandrea/LaPresse via AP)
BERLIN (AP) — Harry Kane cut through the smoke of the German Cup final with a hat trick for Bayern Munich to beat defending champion Stuttgart 3-0 and complete another domestic double on Saturday.
Kane’s goals in the second half set off fireworks among the Bayern fans who had joined their Stuttgart rivals in protesting against the German soccer federation (DFB) for a planned increase in security measures.
The protests started after the halftime break when the Bayern fans displayed a giant DFB logo with a line drawn through it over a banner with an expletive against the DFB, while their Stuttgart counterparts had a banner calling for “freedom for the terraces.” They both then filled the ends of the stadium with huge pyrotechnic displays, shrouding the field under a cover of smoke.
Kane broke the deadlock shortly afterward with a diving header to Michael Olise’s cross in the 55th minute.
That prompted more fireworks from the Bayern fans, worsening the already poor visibility and leading to a break in play.
Kane struck the crossbar with a thunderous shot before sealing the result in the 80th with a shot inside the bottom corner after being picked out by Luis Díaz.
Angelo Stiller conceded a penalty for hand ball and Kane completed his hat trick from the spot in stoppage time.
Kane finished with 61 goals for Bayern this season, including the cup, league, super cup and Champions League.
They helped Bayern wrap up the Bundesliga title with four rounds to spare.
It was Bayern’s first appearance in the German Cup final since 2000, when it defeated Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 for its previous domestic double.
Stuttgart defeated third-division champion Arminia Bielefeld 4-2 in last year’s decider.
Bayern’s players ran straight over to their fans in Olympiastadion’s east end to celebrate the end of the six-year cup title drought.
Stuttgart had the better of an intensive first half with Maximilian Mittelstädt forcing an outstanding save from Jonas Urbig, who was playing in place of the injured Manuel Neuer in Bayern’s otherwise full-strength team.
Kane was frustrated, getting just a shoulder to an Olise cross and having another chance cleared by Ramon Hendriks.
Stuttgart was playing at its limit, however, while Bayern was not. There was only going to be one winner after Kane scored his first.
"The second half was much better. We were much more effective,” Joshua Kimmich told broadcaster ARD before his team got to lift the trophy under a shower of golden confetti.
While no one was surprised to see Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann at the match two days after he announced his World Cup squad with 11 Bayern and Stuttgart players included, few expected to see Portuguese coach José Mourinho in attendance.
Mourinho, currently coach of Benfica, is expected to return to Real Madrid next season, leading to speculation he was at the final to see Bayern star Michael Olise.
“He can have five eyes on Olise, he's not getting him,” Bayern powerbroker Uli Hoeneß told broadcaster Sky.
Outside the stadium before the game, Thomas Melchior was continuing his one-man campaign to stop gambling providers’ involvement in sports. He was wearing a bright Stuttgart jersey, looking for Bayern fans to confront with a sign saying “Sport rather than sports betting” while carrying a 30-kilogram weight on his shoulders.
In contrast to when he first spoke to The Associated Press in October, Melchior was generating more praise than rage as fans had become aware of his campaign. But he wasn’t finished.
“Because betting providers are still advertising everywhere during soccer matches — constantly, everywhere. And because people are still becoming addicted every single day because of that advertising,” Melchior said. “That’s exactly how it was for me back then, and that’s why I’m still doing this.”
Melchior was sentenced to 5 ½ years in prison in 2019 for fraud and theft offenses after losing more than 800,000 euros ($930,000 today) on gambling.
Now trying to make amends, he lamented the endorsement of gambling providers by the likes of FIFA and the DFB.
“It’s going completely in the wrong direction. There should be less advertising, not more," Melchior said. "People have to simply know — firstly that sport betting is dangerous, and secondly that it will also destroy sport."
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Bayern fans celebrate with pyrotechnics during the DFB Pokal, German Cup final soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)
Bayern's Harry Kane celebrates after scoring during the DFB Pokal, German Cup final soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Bayern's Harry Kane, front celebrates with Joshua Kimmich after Kane scored his third goal during the DFB Pokal, German Cup final soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)
Soccer fans burn flares and hold flags during the DFB Pokal, German Cup final soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Bayern's Harry Kane, right, celebrates with Bayern's Michael Olise after scoring his side's opening goal during the DFB Pokal, German Cup final soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Bayern's Harry Kane celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the DFB Pokal, German Cup final soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Bayern's Harry Kane, centre, in action during the DFB Pokal, German Cup final soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Bayern's Harry Kane celebrates after scoring during the German Cup final soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)
