Italian Clubs Absent from European Semi-Finals After National Team's World Cup Failure

The failure of Italian clubs in European competitions this season has demonstrated that Italian football is experiencing significant struggles at all levels, encompassing both sporting and economic aspects.

Italian clubs failed to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League and Europa League for the first time since the 2018-2019 season. Furthermore, this marks the first time they have been absent from the final four of three European competitions since the 1986-1987 season.

This continental setback for Italian clubs comes on the heels of the Italian national team's failure to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time, underscoring that "the paradise of football," as it was once known, is now a thing of the past.

It is worth noting that the most recent continental title for Italian clubs was won by Atalanta, who triumphed in the Europa League in 2024, preceded by Roma lifting the Conference League title in 2022.