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PSG vs Inter: Champions League Final Preview
The curtain closes on the 2024–25 European club season in dramatic fashion this Saturday, as Paris Saint-Germain face Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League final in Munich. For PSG, it’s a chance to finally capture the elusive trophy that has defined their modern era ambition, while for Inter, it represents an opportunity to etch their name onto Europe’s most prestigious silverware for a fourth time.
by Berba
Both clubs arrive at the final from vastly different starting points and styles, yet with equally compelling stories. PSG, long labelled the competition’s nearly-men, have undergone a tactical transformation under Luis Enrique in 2025. Their campaign, once teetering on the edge of collapse in the league phase, was revived with a 4-2 comeback win over Manchester City that ignited a remarkable run. The French champions went on to eliminate Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal in the knockouts, and are now a win away from completing a historic treble—something no French club has ever achieved.
Meanwhile, Inter Milan have grown into the competition, relying on their big-match know-how and disciplined system under Simone Inzaghi. Their path to the final included tactical masterclasses to oust Bayern Munich and Barcelona, the latter in a thrilling 7-6 aggregate win. While their domestic form faltered late in the season, with key losses to Bologna, Roma, and Lazio costing them the Scudetto, Inter’s European campaign has been marked by composure, structure, and resilience.
This final pits PSG’s youthful, high-octane attacking play against Inter’s experienced, physical, and well-drilled setup. The Parisians boast the fourth-youngest squad across Europe’s top five leagues, averaging 24.4 years old, with the likes of Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Bradley Barcola tormenting defences through pace and dribbling. Dembélé, in particular, has been at the heart of PSG’s turnaround, contributing goals and assists in every knockout round and emerging as a potential Ballon d’Or contender.
Inter, by contrast, field the oldest starting eleven of any top European side, with an average age close to 30. Seven players expected to start on Saturday also featured in their 2023 final loss to Manchester City—fuel for a squad desperate to rewrite that outcome. Captain Lautaro Martínez returns from injury and is set to lead the line alongside Marcus Thuram, while full-backs Federico Dimarco and Denzel Dumfries are key to Inter’s attacking play from wide areas.
Historically, this is PSG’s second final appearance, following a narrow 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich in 2020. Marseille remain the only French club to win the competition—doing so in Munich back in 1993 against a Milanese opponent, a curious parallel not lost on PSG fans. Inter, meanwhile, contest their seventh final, having won three times previously, most recently in 2010 under José Mourinho.
This is also a matchup of tactical contrasts. Enrique’s PSG press high and rely on ball progression through aggressive carries and wide overloads—leading all UCL sides in take-ons and penalty box entries. Inter, by comparison, are last in take-ons per game, preferring calculated buildup and punishing opponents through set pieces and structural discipline. They’ve taken the lead in 11 of 14 matches this campaign and have only trailed for seven minutes in the competition.
One area to watch is set pieces. Inter have scored crucial goals from corners in both the quarter- and semi-finals, while PSG have struggled to defend them this season, conceding 11 in Ligue 1. Goalkeeping could also prove decisive: Inter’s Yann Sommer leads the UCL with 5.1 goals prevented above expected, while Gianluigi Donnarumma has an outstanding penalty shootout record, including six wins in seven career shootouts.
Remarkably, both sides are nearly at full strength. PSG are missing only long-term absentee Presnel Kimpembe, while Enrique has a selection call to make between Barcola and Doué on the flank. For Inter, Benjamin Pavard and Piotr Zielinski have returned to training and are available, while Martínez is fully fit after resting since the semi-final second leg.
As the Allianz Arena prepares to host its fifth European final, history offers a tantalising subplot: on each previous occasion a final has been played in Munich, a first-time winner has been crowned. PSG will hope to follow in the footsteps of Nottingham Forest, Dortmund, Marseille, and Chelsea. Inter, seasoned and battle-hardened, aim to spoil that script and close out a golden era with the one trophy that still eludes them.