Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Inter Milan are set to face off in Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final, with PSG aiming for their first European title and Inter targeting their fourth.
The highly anticipated match will take place at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena, which holds 75,000 spectators, and kicks off at 9:00 pm local time (1900 GMT).
This marks PSG’s second appearance in the final since the club underwent a major transformation following the Qatari takeover in 2011. They will be up against a seasoned Inter Milan side, hoping to reclaim European glory. The winner will take the crown from last year’s champions, Real Madrid.
Excitement is building in Paris, where around 40,000 supporters are expected to gather at the Parc des Princes to watch the game on big screens, with a strong police presence in place across the city.
The final offers a compelling match-up between two contrasting footballing philosophies — one rooted in traditional European club heritage, the other representing the era of state-backed football superpowers.
Despite massive investment over the years, PSG have never won the Champions League. Their closest attempt was the 2020 final loss to Bayern Munich, which was played behind closed doors during the pandemic. That squad included Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, while Lionel Messi later joined but was also unable to bring European success to the French capital.
This year, however, under Spanish manager Luis Enrique, a younger and more dynamic PSG side has impressed.
A dramatic comeback victory over Manchester City in January sparked their run, which included wins over Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal. They have already secured a domestic league and cup double.
Ousmane Dembele has been the standout performer with 33 goals this season, supported by attacking talents such as Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola, and January signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Key contributions have also come from Achraf Hakimi, formerly of Inter, and Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Captain Marquinhos described the final as a “glorious opportunity” for the club, while Enrique said his goal was “to make history for Paris and give the city something to celebrate.”
A win would make PSG only the second French side to claim the trophy, after Marseille’s 1993 victory in Munich against AC Milan.
Inter Milan, the last Italian club to lift the trophy back in 2010 under José Mourinho, are no strangers to the Champions League spotlight. They previously won consecutive titles in the 1960s and are looking to add a fourth star to their name.
Manager Simone Inzaghi, who also led the team to the 2023 final, could name a side featuring eight players from that campaign. Several veteran players aged 36 or older bring depth and experience to the lineup.
Inter’s route to the final included a quarter-final win over Bayern Munich and a dramatic semi-final triumph against Barcelona. Led by Argentine forward and captain Lautaro Martinez, they are expected to deploy a 3-5-2 formation — a tactical contrast to PSG’s 4-3-3 approach.
Midfielder Nicolo Barella, reflecting on their narrow defeat to Manchester City in last year’s final, said the team was determined to avoid a repeat. “These games are decided by small details, but we believe we deserve this title after the season we’ve had,” he added.
Remarkably, analysts said this will be the first competitive meeting between PSG and Inter Milan.
As fans descend upon Munich for the final, security has been stepped up in both Paris and Milan. In Paris, three fan zones have been set up, and over 5,000 police officers will be on duty to prevent the kind of unrest that followed PSG’s semi-final win over Arsenal. In Milan, the San Siro stadium will host tens of thousands of fans watching the final live.
