Sport
Unexpected Champions League Finalists
Perhaps this wasn’t the Champions League final most people would have predicted in August, but it is hard to think of two more deserving teams meeting in Munich on Saturday than Paris Saint-Germain and Inter.
The fact one of them will be crowned European champions is a victory for intense planning, hard work and tactical intelligence. While elite football is accused of becoming more robotic and repetitive with little room for creative freedom or even different ideas, both of these clubs have built success in their own ways.
Luis Enrique’s shaping of PSG has been well documented. After inheriting an imbalanced squad with big names like Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe up front, he shifted the focus away from individual glorification and towards a more cohesive plan, which involved signing talented players who would work better in a team. Messi and Neymar were all but gone when the Spaniard arrived, and Mbappe left a year later, but the club looks refreshed, embracing the coach’s entertaining style of football while merging young French talents like Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue with the best possible additions from abroad, such as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Joao Neves. Ousmane Dembele’s resurgence as the team’s leader in attack has been one of the stories of the season.
PSG are without doubt the favourites to end their wait for a Champions League crown, and their changing perception has probably led to many willing for it to happen, too. But Inter should not be counted out and have been on a journey themselves under Simone Inzaghi. In 2023, when they last reached this stage against Manchester City, it was such a shock that it was presumed to be a mere
precession for City. Although Pep Guardiola’s side did win the game 1-0 thanks to a Rodri goal, Inter showed Europe they were serious then. They are even more so now, and will be extremely confident of a second title 15 years on from Jose Mourinho’s treble winners.
Inzaghi has struck the perfect balance between defence and attack, evident throughout their Champions League campaign. The 7-6 aggregate semi final victory over Barcelona may appear to damage the image of their defensive solidity, but it actually showed their adaptability. Barcelona are one of, if not the, best attacking teams in Europe; they are also knowingly weak at the back. Hansi Flick threw caution to the wind, even without the absent Robert Lewandowski; Lamine Yamal and Raphinha were given free reign to go forward, and Inzaghi’s response was to exploit the spaces left behind and go head on. Inter won in the end through sheer persistence and superior experience at that level; Barca’s time will come, but the Nerazzurri’s is now.
The system Inter use is viewed as defensive, and there is no doubting their strength at the back. They conceded just once in eight league phase matches and have been behind for just 16 out of 1260 minutes of Champions League football this season. But their defensive line is high, led by Alessandro Bastoni with three centre backs affording greater security, wing-backs Federico DiMarco and Denzel Dumfries create width, with Nicolo Barella’s energy and Hakan Calhanoglu’s ability to control the tempo very difficult to live with. With so little space for opposition sides to attack, Inter attack with Lautaro Martinez, a great link player and finisher, alongside the physical foil of Marcus Thuram. Yann Sommer is perhaps one of the most underrated goalkeepers around, too.
Like PSG, Inter’s success is built on the team unit, but in a very different way. Luis Enrique has reinvigorated his team and club; they are on the road to something special and fulfilling potential they ignored for years. But Inter are ready; they’ve been through a lot and know how to win all sorts of games. That could prove decisive in the end.
