MILAN, Italy, MAY 27 (V7N) – Inter Milan, while not considered the favorites, have demonstrated their ability to compete with Europe's elite through a thrilling run to Saturday's Champions League final showdown with Paris Saint-Germain. Simone Inzaghi's squad heads to Munich with a genuine chance to surpass their 2023 performance in Istanbul, where a largely similar team was narrowly defeated by Manchester City.

Inzaghi views the 2023 final as a missed opportunity, having matched the vastly wealthier Manchester City, whose budget significantly dwarfs that of Inter, a club from Europe's traditional guard striving to keep pace with the continent's superclubs. Qatari-owned PSG now present Inter with the opportunity to atone for the Istanbul loss and cap an enthralling season with club football's most prestigious trophy, especially after missing out on domestic honors.

"The club and above all the players all know that we're missing that final step to make history," Inzaghi told reporters on Monday. "Obviously already having played the final helps you, but we also know that on the other side there are players who have won the World Cup and have played in other finals, as well as a coach who has already won the Champions League."

Inter's journey to the final has included impressive victories over pre-season favorites Bayern Munich and Barcelona. Their captivating semi-final clash with Barcelona particularly highlighted their capacity to compete with a high-pressing, youthful side, despite Inter's squad featuring many players nearing the end of their careers. The average age of Inter's preferred starting XI is just over 30, with key players like goalkeeper Yann Sommer, two-time cancer survivor Francesco Acerbi, and midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan being 36, 37, and 36 years old, respectively. In contrast, PSG's oldest player is Marquinhos, a relatively youthful 31.

A demanding season, in which Inter vied for the Serie A title until the final day, has visibly impacted the veteran squad. The Barcelona tie stands out as a highlight amidst a challenging final few weeks of the campaign. Inter appeared poised for a treble after eliminating Bayern in the quarter-finals last month, holding a comfortable three-point lead over Scudetto rivals Napoli and an Italian Cup semi-final against a struggling AC Milan. However, three consecutive defeats within a week derailed their domestic aspirations, giving Napoli the Serie A initiative and ending their cup run, leaving the Champions League as their sole remaining chance for silverware.

"There was a lot of suffering among the players, it would be pointless to deny it," said Inzaghi regarding the loss of the Serie A title. "The boys have been brilliant this season because we've played 59 matches and we've given everything on the pitch. We didn't prioritise anything, we just tried to give everything that we had."

Inzaghi has guided Inter to new heights since the 2023 final, even after significant player departures and an enforced takeover by US investment firm Oaktree a year ago, following previous owners Suning defaulting on a debt of approximately 395 million euros ($449 million). Unlike PSG, who can spend over 70 million euros to acquire exciting players like Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Serie A, Inter has had to rely on cost-effective acquisitions to remain competitive. Sommer, who joined for less than seven million euros in 2023, is one of only three players—alongside Frenchmen Marcus Thuram and Benjamin Pavard—in Inter's likely starting lineup for Saturday who were not with the club two years ago.

"We've shown courage in every match of our Champions League campaign, and that's why we're in the final," Sommer remarked on Monday. "We have a lot of players who played in the final two years ago, and that experience is important for us as a team."

The UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 31, 2025, at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, at 9:00 PM local time (CEST, GMT+2). Betting odds from major bookmakers currently indicate PSG as slight favorites in the 90-minute market, while Inter offers better value as an outright winner.