Coppa Italia: Frosinone, Verona and Lazio Play in Round of 32
Listen to the story
Football fans in Italy watched three matches today as part of the Coppa Italia, the country's national cup competition. The matches were Frosinone against Juve Stabia, Verona against Entella, and Lazio against Mantova.
These games form part of the round of 32, an early stage of the competition where 32 teams compete. Today's matches were played on the second day of this round, meaning some other matches were already played earlier.
The Coppa Italia works differently from Italy's league system. In the league, teams play every other team over a full season and collect points. In the Coppa Italia, however, matches are played on a knockout basis: if a team loses, it is immediately out of the competition.
After each match, official results and match reports are published, showing which team won and all the goals scored during the game. These reports allow fans who could not watch to follow what happened.
The teams involved come from different parts of Italian football. Lazio, for example, usually plays in Serie A, Italy's top division, while some of the other clubs come from lower divisions. This mix of top and smaller clubs is typical of the early rounds of the Coppa Italia, since it gives every team in Italian football a chance to compete for the trophy.
The competition will continue with more rounds until only two teams remain for the final. For now, fans are focused on the results from today's three matches and are waiting for reports on who advanced to the next stage.
Vocabulary7 words
- Coppa Italia
- Italy's national football cup
- round of 32
- a stage of a competition with 32 teams left
- knockout
- a system where losing means you leave the competition
- results
- information showing who won or lost
- match reports
- detailed information about what happened in a game
- Serie A
- the top football division in Italy
- trophy
- a prize given to the winner of a competition
Quiz
Answer key
1. Frosinone-Juve Stabia, Verona-Entella, Lazio-Mantova 2. Teams are eliminated if they lose 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Football fans in Italy watched three matches today as part of the _____, the country's national cup competition.
These games form part of the _____, an early stage of the competition where 32 teams compete.
Today's matches were played on the second day of this round, meaning some other matches were already played _____.
In the Coppa Italia, matches are played on a _____ basis: if a team loses, it is immediately out of the competition.
After each match, official _____ and match reports are published, showing which team won and all the goals scored.
Lazio, for example, usually plays in _____, Italy's top division, while some of the other clubs come from lower divisions.
The competition will continue with more rounds until only two teams remain for the _____.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think cup competitions like the Coppa Italia are exciting for fans?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of a knockout format compared to a league?
- Do you follow any cup competitions in your country? How do they work?
- Why might smaller clubs enjoy playing against bigger clubs like Lazio in early rounds?