Paris and Milan have long been rivals for the title of fashion capital of the world, but tonight, their competition moves to the football field. We’ll discover which colors will reign supreme in football for the coming year.
Will it be the blue and red of Paris Saint-Germain or the blue and black of Inter?
These two teams are set to clash in the 70th final of either the European Cup or the Champions League, with Paris seeking their first-ever trophy. This marks their second final appearance after a 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich on August 23, 2020 (often referred to as the “COVID final”).
Inter, conversely, is vying for their fourth title. They secured the European Cup in 1964 and 1965 and the Champions League in 2010. Coach Simone Inzaghi hopes to become the first Italian manager to guide the Nerazzurri to European glory.
Inzaghi also took Inter to the final in 2023, where they lost 1-0 to Manchester City. Previously, in the 1960s, they were led by the legendary Argentine-Spanish coach Helenio Herrera, and in 2010, it was José Mourinho.
Paris Saint-Germain, the nominal home team, has faced a tumultuous season. With superstars Neymar, Messi, and Mbappé no longer on the squad, they had a shaky start and were jeopardized by the seventh matchday of the League Phase. After falling 0-2 to City, they made a sensational comeback (4-2), which turned their season around.
Under Luis Enrique, PSG accelerated through the knockout stages, defeating Brest (10-0 on aggregate) and overcoming every English team that crossed their path, including Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal.
Inter, on the other hand, enjoyed a more stable journey. The Nerazzurri finished fourth in the League Phase, comfortably advancing past Feyenoord and Bayern, leading to an intense semifinal against Barcelona.
In the first leg, a 3-3 draw seemed improbable to replicate, yet both teams managed to equalize the second leg as well (2-3 in the 87th minute, then 3-3 in stoppage time), with Inter snatching the final spot with a goal in extra time.
“My biggest motivation is to make history for Paris. It would be incredible to bring success to the city and the country. Being the first is something special. I feel fortunate, but tomorrow we’ll give our all — and then some — to make our fans proud. We’ve faced challenging matches throughout this journey, which may give us an edge as we’ve played in multiple finals, even in this stadium. We’re not afraid; we’ll showcase our best,” said Luis Enrique. This marks his second career final, once again against an Italian side — the first being in 2015 when he led Barcelona to a 3-1 win over Juventus in Berlin.
“We know how to prepare for matches like this. We have World Cup winners and European champions. Now with the experience of reaching a Champions League final, it’s as significant as a World Cup or Euro final. To play and win this match, we’ll need to manage every detail perfectly, knowing we’re up against a fantastic team like Inter — a team with great strength and a respected coach,” said Simone Inzaghi, who may be managing his last game for Inter amid rumors of a move to Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia.
Paris Saint-Germain makes history as the fifth French team to reach a Champions League/European Cup final (following Reims, Saint-Étienne, Marseille, and Monaco). They’ve won nine of their last eleven Champions League matches (with two losses) and scored the first goal in seven of their last nine tournament games.
This will be Inter’s seventh European Cup/Champions League final. They’ve won ten matches this season, losing only one of their 14 Champions League games in 2024/25, and are unbeaten in their last eight (6 wins, 2 draws).
This marks the first-ever Champions League encounter between these two clubs and only the second final held between French and Italian teams since 1992/93, when Marseille defeated Milan 1-0 in Munich (though not in the current venue).
Referee: István Kovács (Romania).
Predicted Lineups:
Paris Saint-Germain (Luis Enrique): Donnarumma, Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, João Neves, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Fabián Ruiz, Kvaratskhelia, Dembélé, Barcola.
