On Saturday, the 2024-25 European membership season involves an finish with the normal nearer, the UEFA Champions League remaining. Held in Munich this 12 months, the head-to-head is a tantalizing one which few anticipated: the “born once more” Paris Saint-Germain, led by supervisor Luis Enrique and a younger, hungry squad, taking up wily veterans Inter Milan, who’ve a singular formation, loads of savvy stars and an underrated tactician in Simone Inzaghi.
Each groups have taken down giants to succeed in the showpiece finale — PSG eradicated Liverpool and Arsenal within the knockout rounds, whereas Inter Milan fended off fancied Barcelona and Bayern Munich to punch their ticket — and now face a winner-take-all showdown.
So who will win, and what storylines are effervescent below the floor? ESPN writers Mark Ogden, Gab Marcotti, Julien Laurens, Tom Hamilton and Invoice Connelly stroll you thru what to observe for and provides their picks for who will declare the prize Saturday night time.
A remaining of youth vs. expertise
The distinction is obvious. Inter’s seemingly beginning XI have a mean age of 30 years and 4 months; Paris Saint-Germain’s is 24 and seven months. Inter have eight gamers who featured the final time they had been within the Champions League remaining, two years in the past; Marquinhos is the one PSG starter to have performed in a Champions League remaining at any time in his profession.
That is the obvious distinction between Saturday’s finalists, and what impression it is going to have will rely closely on how the sport is performed.
The next tempo evidently favors the recent legs of PSG, whereas a slower, nervy grind ought to offer Inter the sting, a minimum of on paper. However each side are much more multifaceted than they seem. Each can play a possession sport, poking and prodding till the fitting opening seems — witness Ousmane Dembélé’s opener in opposition to Arsenal, a results of 26 passes — however each will be direct and hit you going north-south. PSG have the velocity of Dembele, Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola; Inter have the chemistry of Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martínez, a uncommon entrance tandem within the fashionable sport.
It isn’t as easy, due to this fact, to liken it to a basketball sport and recommend Inter need fewer possessions and PSG need extra, as a result of each coaches can and do combine issues up. Moderately, maybe exactly as a result of these groups are managed by two of the very best round, we would see some myths get buried Monday night time. Inter would possibly present that the parameters of health and athleticism have modified and that high professionals can go robust into their early 30s. PSG would possibly present that have is overrated relative to sport intelligence and tactical instruction.
So do not simply boil this right down to expertise vs. athleticism. There’s rather more to it. — Marcotti
Battle of the celebrity, MVP goalkeepers
The Champions League is normally all in regards to the celebrity forwards and their means to win video games out of nothing, from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to Mohamed Salah and Vinícius Júnior, however this time round, it could possibly be determined by the goalkeepers.
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Klinsmann hails Yann Sommer’s heroics in Inter’s semifinal win
Jurgen Klinsmann names Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer as his man of the match after developing with some big saves to disclaim Barcelona.
Inter’s Yann Sommer and PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma had been the gamers who bought their groups over the road within the semifinals, they usually have produced comparable performances on the worldwide stage with Switzerland and Italy, respectively.
Sommer, who spent a 12 months in Munich with Bayern in 2023 after 11 seasons with Borussia Monchengladbach, changed André Onana at Inter following the Cameroon worldwide’s transfer to Manchester United two years in the past, and the 36-year-old has been a transparent improve on Onana, along with his efficiency in opposition to Barcelona in Inter’s dramatic semifinal second-leg win producing a minimum of 5 world-class saves. Donnarumma had an identical efficiency for PSG of their semifinal second leg in opposition to Arsenal, when he pulled off unimaginable saves from Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka to maintain Luis Enrique’s workforce forward.
Sommer and Donnarumma have needed to bounce again from tough intervals of their careers to ascertain themselves as two of the world’s greatest, and they’re going to each be seeking to win their first Champions League title in Munich.
If it goes all the way in which to penalties, it could possibly be too powerful to name between the 2 goalkeepers. Sommer was the hero of Switzerland’s Euro 2020 round-of-16 shootout win in opposition to France when he saved a Kylian Mbappé spot kick, whereas Donnarumma has received a outstanding six of seven shootouts for membership and nation, together with the Euro 2020 remaining in opposition to England at Wembley, to offer him an 87.5% success fee. — Ogden
Will Luis Enrique win one other Treble?
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Laurens: Enrique does not get sufficient credit score
Julien Lauren praises Luis Enrique’s impression on PSG and divulges particulars of his coaching periods.
Again in 2015, Luis Enrique received the Treble (Champions League, LaLiga, Copa del Rey) with Barcelona and had an unstoppable entrance three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar. Ten years on, he has the prospect to attain one other one, however with one other membership, and will equal one thing that solely Pep Guardiola, his former membership teammate on the Camp Nou, has finished within the historical past of the sport: successful two Trebles with two completely different golf equipment.
Luis Enrique has needed to wait 10 years to get one other shot. That is a really very long time for a supervisor so obsessive about the sport, although for him, it is not nearly successful; it is about the way you win, and this remaining shall be very completely different than the earlier one too. Then, Luis Enrique just about inherited Guardiola’s whole Barcelona squad apart from Luis Suarez and Ivan Rakitic, who arrived the identical summer season as him, and the successful pedigree and mentality that got here with it.
For this PSG squad, it is the alternative. That is his workforce. That is the Luis Enrique venture, and that is solely 12 months 1. The Asturian has constructed all of it, eliminating Neymar, Marco Verratti (simply to call the 2 largest names) and others as a result of they did not match with what he was developing. He recruited the gamers he needed (defender Willian Pacho, midfielder João Neves, playmakers Kvicha Kvaratskhelia and Désiré Doué) to finish his jigsaw and ship on his bold model of play: excessive press, excessive depth, fluidity inside the construction, tempo, and attacking aptitude.
His workforce has been the very best in Europe in 2025; they simply have to complete the job on Saturday. — Laurens
How these groups reached the ultimate
Merely watching these two groups as they superior by the Champions League knockout rounds — PSG with ball strain, regular buildup and an amazing tilt of the sector, Inter with construction and substitutions and completely timed swipes of the sword — would provide you with a fairly clear impression that they thrive as polar opposites. The stats very a lot again up that impression.
PSG are right here due to pitch domination. After some early-season wobbles, they grew to become perhaps the very best workforce on the earth beginning in December. Since Matchday 6, they’ve averaged probably the most factors per sport (2.45) with probably the most targets (30) and the very best aim differential (plus-21). That features a 7-0 win over Brest, sure, but additionally 4 wins in 5 video games in opposition to the three groups in England (Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester Metropolis).
PSG have flooded groups with pure amount: For your complete competitors, they’re fifth out of 36 Champions League groups in photographs per possession and third in photographs allowed per possession. They’ve tried 45 photographs price a minimum of 0.2 xG and allowed 20, a plus-25 margin that ranks first. They only do extra than their opponents: They’re first in ball recoveries (48.6) and take-ons per match (27.7), second in direct assaults (sequences beginning within the defending half and producing a shot inside 20 seconds) and third in buildup assaults (sequences that include 10 or extra passes and produce both a shot or a contact within the field).
Briefly, they play just like the younger and endlessly aggressive workforce they’re.
Inter, in the meantime, fill the function of the collective sturdy veteran. They win with high quality over amount: They try solely 13.6 take-ons per match (thirty fifth), however they win 49.7% of them (third). They power 8.8 excessive turnovers per sport (twenty seventh) however rating 0.6 targets per sport from them (ninth). They’re fifteenth in photographs per possession however eighth in xG per shot, they usually’re twenty second in photographs allowed per possession however first in xG allowed per shot. Opponents have tried extra photographs than them, however wanting particularly at photographs price 0.2 xG or extra, they try 2.3 (twelfth) and permit just one.3 (third).
Inter power you to expend power making an attempt to beat them with particular person brilliance, and in case you achieve this, they’re virtually at all times prepared with a counterstrike. Simply ask Bayern and Barcelona. PSG will virtually definitely management giant parts of the pitch and this match, however Inter usually tend to rating from set items, extra more likely to win the ball within the air and virtually sure to create random, high-quality alternatives that give them an opportunity at Champions League glory. — Invoice Connelly
The omen of first-time winners in Munich
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Dumfries: Champions League is the second for Inter
Inter defender Denzel Dumfries and goalkeeper Yann Sommer look forward to the Champions League remaining in opposition to PSG.
Munich has staged 4 earlier European Cup/Champions League finals — three on the Olympiastadion, one on the Allianz Area — and the German metropolis has proved to be fortunate for these groups aiming to be topped European champions for the primary time. That may be nice information for PSG.
Nottingham Forest received the primary of their two European Cups with a 1-0 victory in opposition to Swedish champions Malmo in 1979, whereas Marseille grew to become the primary (and up to now solely) French membership to win Europe’s largest prize by defeating AC Milan 1-0 within the Olympiastadion in 1993. 4 years later, Borussia Dortmund made the quick journey to Munich to tackle reigning Champions League kings Juventus of their first-ever remaining, however regardless of the percentages favoring Marcello Lippi’s formidable workforce, Dortmund cruised to a 3-1 win.
Bayern Munich confronted Chelsea on house floor within the 2012 remaining, however regardless of going through the English facet in their very own stadium, Bayern couldn’t break the sequence of first-time winners in Bavaria as Chelsea sealed the primary of their two Champions League titles with a penalty shootout victory on the Allianz.
So will three-time European champions Inter be capable to deny PSG a primary Champions League title in Munich this weekend, or will Luis Enrique’s workforce hold the sequence going?
Another bit of fine information for PSG: Marseille clinched a French victory in Munich in 1993 by defeating a workforce from Milan of their second try at successful the competitors. PSG face one other workforce from Milan in Munich, one which’s additionally aiming to win the Champions League on the second try. — Ogden
Two unimaginable full backs, however just one can win
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Can PSG be impressed by the Munich UCL remaining good luck appeal?
Julien Laurens and Mark Ogden focus on what PSG might want to do to beat Inter Milan within the Champions League remaining.
Again in the summertime of 2021, Achraf Hakimi and Denzel Dumfries handed like ships. Hakimi had loved an extremely profitable 2020-21 season at Inter Milan and helped Antonio Conte’s facet to the Scudetto. On the finish of that time period, he departed for PSG.
Hakimi’s substitute? Dumfries, signed for €15 million, a fraction of the eventual €71 million Inter Milan collected for Hakimi.
However now they’re again on the identical pitch, and it is no exaggeration to say the pair have been excellent on this 12 months’s event.
Dumfries was integral to Inter’s outstanding win over Barcelona within the semifinals, scoring twice within the first leg (together with on that scissor kick), after which managing to tee up Lautaro Martinez for his or her opener within the return fixture in Milan. Hakimi has saved an in depth eye on Dumfries, saying final week: “He is a terrific participant. One factor I like about him is that he is very robust within the air, whereas I am horrible.” Then got here the little dig, nevertheless, with Hakimi saying it is “simpler” to play wing again in a 3-5-2 than to deal with a again 4 function.
Hakimi has been constantly considered the very best proper again in world soccer, and he has loved one other very good season for PSG, even scoring the winner in opposition to Arsenal of their semifinal.
The 2 had very completely different paths to the highest: Dumfries performed newbie soccer to age 18 earlier than progressing to PSV after which Inter Milan, whereas Hakimi got here by the Actual Madrid academy. However in case you take a look at the stats comparability between the 2 this season, they’re shut on many metrics, akin to floor duels received and tackles per 90 minutes. Then comes the nuance: Hakimi has made 3.67 interceptions per 90, in contrast with Dumfries’ 1.27, and Dumfries has been much more dominant within the air (successful 71% of aerial duels to Hakimi’s 47%).
They’re very several types of gamers, however one factor binds them: their need to get into assault and affect the match. Which one could have the defining second Saturday? — Hamilton
It is prediction time! Who will win, and by what scoreline?
Inter Milan 2, PSG 1: As quickly as Inter and PSG confirmed their spots within the remaining, I predicted a 2-1 win for Inter, and I’m sticking with that. I imagine PSG are the higher workforce and extra thrilling to observe, however Inter are a tricky, uncompromising facet with a innovative up entrance, so I’m backing their resolve over PSG’s aptitude to seal the win. — Ogden
Inter Milan 2, PSG 0: They knocked out the champions of Germany and Spain, so why not make it a trifecta with the champions of France, too? The bookies fancy PSG, and you may see why. But when the sport comes right down to set items (the place Inter have an edge) and intangibles (expertise, certain, but additionally the flexibility to get again up after being punched within the face), Inter can shade this. — Marcotti
Inter Milan 1-0 PSG: Finally, their expertise will prevail and they’re going to rating on a set piece to clinch their second Champions League crown, leaving PSG ready a bit of longer. — Laurens
Inter Milan 3, PSG 2: That is going to be tight, however Inter will edge it. They’ve probably the most underrated supervisor (Simone Inzaghi) in world soccer, and their means to arm-wrestle the tightest matches into victory will come by once more. — Hamilton
PSG 1, Inter Milan 0: We’ll simply play the percentages right here. Inter will inevitably create a few good probabilities, however PSG will create extra of them. — Connelly
