Inter Milan can atone for their Champions League heartbreak of 2023 when they face Paris Saint-Germain in Saturday’s final, but Simone Inzaghi knows they will need to suffer to do so.
The Nerazzurri came up agonisingly short in the final two years ago, losing 1-0 to Manchester City in Istanbul.
Inzaghi’s men have enjoyed a superb campaign in the first edition of the revamped Champions League, losing just one of their eight games in the league phase, a defeat away to Bayer Leverkusen. They drew the rematch with City 0-0 and beat Arsenal 1-0 at San Siro.
In the knockout phase, Inter have eliminated Feyenoord, Bayern Munich and Barcelona en route to the final, winning an epic semi-final with the Blaugrana in extra time to punch their ticket to the Allianz Arena showpiece.
In PSG, however, they will be facing the team many regard as the best in the competition this season, one on the verge of a treble and eyeing their first Champions League crown despite seeing Kylian Mbappe leave for Real Madrid in the previous summer transfer window.
And, given the calibre of the their opponents, Inzaghi is under no illusion as to how difficult the final is likely to be.
“We need to face Paris knowing there will be moments in which we’ll suffer, and other moments when we’ll have the ball and they’ll need to defend,” Inzaghi said.
“Details and moments are key. We need to go out there with desire and determination to win the game. PSG are a very strong side, but we will play to our strengths.
Time to write the end of this tale ✍️📜#ForzaInter #UCLFinal #ParisInter pic.twitter.com/56sPWbrPio
— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter_en) May 30, 2025
“We have had a very tough run so far, facing City, Arsenal, Bayern and Barça, but we have made it this far and we don’t want to stop here.
“With Inter it is always a big match, but when it’s a final, it’s different. We deserve to be here, from our first game away at City, but we are still one step short.
“We know what an important game this is. Winning and losing makes all the difference in the world.”
Defeat would see Inter end what has been an impressive season without a trophy. Inter were dethroned in Serie A as Napoli beat them in a pulsating Scudetto race, while arch rivals AC Milan defeated them in the Supercoppa Italiana and knocked Inzaghi’s men out in the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia.
“We have triumphed and despaired domestically in Serie A, so as players and myself as a coach, we have been through it all,” Inzaghi added. “But the job is to put a big smile on the faces of our fans.
“The entire Curva Nord will be behind us.”
