Key events
Classic smash-and-grabs
Alvin Choong has written in with three, all involving Chelsea. It’s not compulsory for one of the teams to have the same first two letters as your surname, mainly because I don’t fancy trawling the history of Smethwick Rangers for the next few hours.
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Chelsea 1-1 Barcelona 2009 (Barcelona win on away goals)
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Barcelona 2-1 Chelsea 2012 (Chelsea win on away goals)
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Bayern 1-1 Chelsea (Chelsea win on penalties)
The expected XIs
Luis Enrique and Simone Inzaghi have both done a one-tick number me, so what follows is uninformed speculation. At best.
Paris Saint-Germain have everyone available, so Luis Enrique’s main decision is whether to pick Desire Doue or Bradley Barcola in attack. Doue started both legs against Arsenal so you’d expect him to start.
There are two main areas of interest in the Internazionale team. Yann Bisseck, Benjamin Pavard and Stefan De Vrij are competing for the third centre-back position. Either Federico Dimarco or Carlos Augusto will play at left wing-back.
Paris Saint-Germain (4-3-3) Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Joao Neves, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz; Doue/Barcola, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia.
Internazionale (3-5-2) Sommer; Bisseck/Pavard/De Vrij, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco/Augusto; Martinez, Thuram.
On this day in 1961… Benfica became the first team not called Real Madrid to win the European Cup.
Smash y grab department
Just out of interest, can anyone think of a more smash-and-grab steal than Liverpool’s 1-0 in Paris in that first leg ?
I immediately thought of Bayern Munich 1-2 Man Utd in the 99 CL final and Arsenal 1-2 Liverpool in the 01 FA Cup Final.
Any more ??
We did a Joy of Six a few years ago which includes two all-time classics: Brazil v Argentina at Italia 90 and Inter v Sampdoria in a Serie A title decider the following season.
I’d argue 1999 is a slightly different type of steal because, although Man Utd did nothing as an attacking force for 85 minutes, Bayern only really had chances when Sir Alex Ferguson rolled the dice. For the first 70 minutes, almost nothing happened in either penalty area. I didn’t see the PSG game but it sounds like Alisson was making brilliant saves all night.
Slightly different, but there was a game in Turin in 1996 when Man Utd stole a 1-0 defeat. Juve were so superior that you thought United could never reach that standard.
Cheers Dom, hello everyone. In lieu of any breaking news, shall we partake in a list-based reminder of PSG and Inter’s previous European Cup finals? Yep, let’s do that.
Inter’s win under Jose Mourinho was in the 2010 is the last time an Italian team were champions of Europe. Fifteen years, man! It’s not quite an unwanted record for Serie A record – there were no Italian winners between in 16-year period from 1969 (Milan) to 1985 (Juventus)
Handover: That’s my stint done and I shall now hand over to the esteemed Rob Smyth to guide you through the afternoon’s news.
I think Raphinha and Lamine Yamal can also lay claim to the Ballon D’Or though, like Salah, they won’t have a Champions League winners’ medal to boost their case. A Spanish domestic double and a close-run semi-final ain’t bad, though.
An email from Kári Tulinius:
I was struck by the thought, seeing excerpts from the interviews with Ousmane Dembélé and Lautaro Martínez, that one of those two will be a serious contender for the Ballon d’Or after the final. If you’d told me a year ago that this would be the case, I’d’ve imagined that some kind of unfortunate accident at a Nike photo shoot had twanged the hamstrings of every player more likely to grab that particular gong. What a season they’ve both had.
Mo Salah and his army of fans may beg to differ, Kári.
Most Improbable Comeback, you’ll never sing that.
There’s plenty of Club World Cup debate at the moment, even sitting as we are in the looming shadow of a Champions League final. Not quite sure I’d agree with the below take. It’s certainly a take.
Winning the Club World Cup will be the biggest achievement in club football, which ever team does it. Agree or not, it is bigger and tougher competition than Champions League.
Everton have announced they have triggered the option to make Carlos AKA ‘Charly’ Alcaraz a permanent signing from Brazilian side Flamengo after the midfielder initially joined on loan for the second half of last season. The fee, naturally, has not been disclosed.
The former Southampton midfielder made a big impression at Goodison Park and will hope to do the same at the, er, Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Our writers’ previews from Munich
I am a sucker for grown athletes crying. I am a sucker for the entire subs’ bench exploding onto the pitch at the moment of victory. I am a sucker for great footballers from opposing teams solemnly congratulating each other after the game. I am a sucker for coaches commiserating with their sobbing teenage winger. I am a sucker for the reserve striker who came on in the 119th minute strolling around, unsweaty and trying to process exactly what their feelings should be at this moment. It goes without saying, then, that the two of three minutes after the end of a big final may just be my favourite bit in the whole of sport: unbridled, totally unscripted, and ultimately the point of the whole distended, hyper-commercialised show. Paris 2-0 Inter. Jonathan Liew
The Champions League final is set up for one (or maybe more) of the Paris Saint-Germain front line. It seems as though fans of every stripe have got on board with Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola, mainly because of the off-the-cuff thrills that they provide. They have come to feel even more refreshing in a game where micro-managed systems stuff holds sway. Of course, PSG want control. Within that there is freedom. Yet finals are for winning, not just playing and decorating with snazzy flashes, and it will be fascinating to see whether the quartet can be decisive, including the one who is used off the bench. Dembele brings the experience. The others are young and will surely feel the hammer of their hearts. David Hytner
This feels like the most closely matched Champions League final in the past decade. It’s scorching in Munich and the question is whether we see a slow burner or the kind of rip-roaring tie both sides have come to specialise in. Maybe Inter’s capacity to find a way will come handy once again. The PSG chair Nasser al-Khelaifi told me yesterday that his nerves were under control but I suspect they may have been shredded by full time. A close, dramatic 2-1 Inter win. Nick Ames
I am looking forward to seeing how Inter play. We know what PSG will do: follow the system, run like demons, squeeze every space, dominate the ball, give it to the front three to create. But the word here from those who have been around the place is that Inter are very confident, that they believe they have the experience and the force of will to make a young PSG team blink tonight. This may or may not be true. But who doesn’t love a wily, grizzled, super-confident, slightly vicious sounding Italian team. I still make PSG favourites and definitely if they score first. A goalless first half and Inter might start to enjoy it. My score prediction: no idea. But it will be tight. Barney Ronay
Manchester United’s players didn’t particularly enjoy their post-season tour of Asia, by all accounts. They won one and lost one in Malaysia and Hong Kong but the extra travelling and commercial commitments proved unpopular with players fatigued from their mammoth Premier League effor– oh, hang on …
Anyway, Matthijs de Ligt has at least backed the blunt approach taken by Ruben Amorim in recent press conferences, with the defender reflecting on the manager’s communication style.
“I’m from Holland so I like it,” he told the BBC. “I can understand the media are in shock because normally this doesn’t happen. But I think you can also be really happy that finally someone speaks out, says what he thinks and speaks the truth.
“I really appreciate him in our conversations personally. It gives me a feeling I can trust him and he can trust me.
“He’s really into details. Before signing new players, first he’s looking at the culture, what needs to change and what can be improved to become a better football club. From next season we will see more of that.”
And while we’re in plugging-non-UCL-final-related-pieces mode allow me to be self-indulgent for a moment and point you in the direction of my National League playoff final preview, from a Southend United perspective, with their Mr Southend, manager Kevin Maher.
Away from the big match Ed Aarons has been predicting the (very near) future, outlining the major transfers we could well see this summer, with a short window opening on 1 June for a period before the Club World Cup.
The guys from Reuters have been out and about chatting to PSG fans in the German city.
Chef Zoumana Meite, 28, told them he was looking forward to the game and had a “good feeling” about it.
“If we win tonight, it will be a sleepless night,” he said. “Yes, it’s a big night… As a Parisian, it’s something to experience.”
As for security, Deborah Mbwebwa, a 29-year-old finance worker, told Reuters PSG supporters like her had been warned not to break anything. “I think it’ll go well,” she said. Mbwebwa was also hopeful for the outcome. “The players are aware that the whole city, we’re all behind them. So I think they’ll give it their all tonight,” she added.
“I’m much more confident than in 2020, when they came up short (losing 1-0 to Bayern Munich in the final). But this time, I think it’s ours.”
Corinne Soler, a PSG supporter of 32 years that came all the way from southern France, said that even if victory eluded the Parisian team, this final would still go down in history.
“It’s our second final, and finally, we can celebrate it. So, even if we lose, we will be with other supporters tonight and it won’t matter,” she said.
Thanks Barry. Time for some scene-setting from Munich as the Bavarian capital gears up for tonight’s royal rumble …
Handover: Dominic Booth is here to take up the cudgels as we continue our countdown to tonight’s Champions League final.
Liverpool news: In a departure that is likely to be more low key and uncontroversial than that of Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Premier League champions have announced that John Heitinga is leaving his role in Arne Slot’s coaching staff to become head coach of his former club Ajax.
The 41-year-old succeeds Francesco Farioli, who masterminded Ajax’s spectacular choke in the final weeks of the Eredivisie season and is now reported on the Rangers shortlist. Heitinga has signed a two-year deal with Ajax, who finished second to PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch top flight after blowing a nine-point lead with just five games to go.
Francesco Acerbi: The 37-year-old Inter centre-back, who scored his first ever European goal in the third minute of added time to send the second leg of his side’s epic semi-final against Barcelona into extra time, has battled against cancer (twice), alcoholism and depression brought about by the death of a father with whom he had a fractious relationship to take his place in tonight’s final.
“Already at the beginning of my career I didn’t really have the right attitude for a professional player,” he has said. “I would often arrive tipsy at trainings, without having fully recovered from the night before. I was physically strong, and that was enough for me. As my father died, however, I hit rock bottom. I no longer had any drive and could no longer play. I was sick and would drink anything.”
Some transfer news: Tottenham Hotspur have elected to make Kevin Danso’s loan move from Lens permanent, while Arsenal have been quoted a non-negotiable price of £75m for RB Leipzig’s Slovenian striker Benjamin Sesko. Chelsea are reported to be sniffing around Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, while Manchester City are preparing a bid for Lyon playmaker Rayan Cherki.
Club World Cup: Real Madrid’s decision to pay Liverpool £10m for the early release of Trent Alexander-Arnold from his contract, the first piece of mini-transfer window business is a significant moment for Fifa’s Gianni Infantino and his heinous creation, writes Barney Ronay.
England 6-0 Portugal
Women’s Nations League: Aggie Beever-Jones went home with the match ball after scoring a hat-trick in England’s demolition of Portugal at Wembley last night. Words: Suzanne Wrack.
Simone Inzaghi: “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,” said Inter’s head coach in his pre-final presser yesterday. “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.
“We have had a very tough run so far, facing [Manchester] 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. We have triumphed and despaired domestically in Serie A, so as players and myself as a coach, we have been through it all. But the job is to put a big smile on the faces of our fans. The entire Curva Nord will be behind us.”
Tottenham Hotspur: While Ange Postecoglou’s future remainsn up in the air at Spurs, there is no such uncertainty over the tenures of Fraser Forster and Sergio Reguilon, who will be released by the club when their contracts expire at the end of next month.
Reguilon, who joined Spurs in 2020, struggled to adapt to life in north London and was sent out on loan to Atletico Madrid, Manchester United and Brentford before making just four Premier League appearances this season. Goalkeepers Alfie Whiteman and Forster also depart the club, with Timo Werner’s exit being confirmed following an unsuccessful loan spell from RB Leipzig.
Ben Davies, who is out of contract this summer, was not named on the list of those being let go by the club and a final decision on whether to trigger the 12-month option in the 32-year-old Welsh international’s contract is still to be made.
Champions League One: Plymouth Argyle have announced boss Miron Muslic has left the club to take over at the German side Schalke. Argyle “reluctantly allowed” the Bosnia-born Austrian to begin talks to leave earlier this week, following their relegation from the Championship this season.
Now Muslic has taken over the seven-time German champions, who have been playing in the second tier since relegation in 2023. Muslic replaced Wayne Rooney at Home Park in January but by his own account, was not appointed in time to save Plymouth from suffering relegation to League One.
“Miron Muslic has departed the club to join 2. Bundesliga side FC Schalke 04,” said Argyle in a statement. “Muslic joined Argyle in January, overseeing 23 matches, including the memorable victory against Liverpool in the Emirates FA Cup. Despite his best efforts, he could not stave off relegation with Argyle dropping to Sky Bet League One on the final day of the season. We wish Miron all the best for his future endeavours.”
Luis Enrique: “When a team retreats into its own half, it’s automatically very difficult because there’s little space and a lot of density,” said PSG’s head coach, of the potential challenges his team will face against Inter. “We’re used to playing against teams like that. The problem is that Inter have a lot of very good players, both defensively and offensively. That’s why they reached the final two years ago. We’ll have to adapt in real time depending on how the game unfolds.”
Asked about his own squad, the Spaniard had this to say: “The chemistry within the squad is the same as it has been since last season,” he said. “I have an exceptional squad that I’ve got on very well with since my first day here. I haven’t changed anything since then. I have 10 more years of experience than I did when I was last involved in a Champions League final. I’ve been able to work hard over the years. I try to convey to my team the joy of playing in this final. I think we’re ready, just like Inter. We’ll do our best to play a good final and, of course, win it.”
Marquinhos: “We worked really hard on our defending, but will not change our tactical system,” said PSG’s Brazilian skipper ahead of tonight’s game. “We’ll try to annul their strikers, who are the core strength, but also the wingers that attack with pace. We prepared something, but I cannot tell you much about that. I can assure you that we will not change our general approach that got us this far. I think it is going to be an entertaining game of football, with Inter and us both relying on our strengths.
“I am a veteran here now, I adore this team and it is wonderful to be a part of it. We mustn’t pile too much pressure on the younger players, but keep a balance. We know the strengths that Inter bring to the pitch and they analysed us too, so it’s about focusing on the details. This is an opportunity to write history for this club and it is also a second chance for me. We’ll have to give the performance of a lifetime.”
Simone Inzaghi: The future of Inter’s head coach, who has one year left on his contract with the Serie A side, remains up in the air, with strong rumours linking him with a lucrative £25m per year move to Saudi Pro-League side Al Hilal, possibly in time for this summer’s Club World Cup. The Italian is also reported to have held talks with Tottenham Hotspur. Asked about his plans yesterday, Inzaghi gave his interrogators short shrift. ““My future is that tomorrow there is a final,” he said. “That is all I want to talk about.”
Luis Enrique: “Every team does things differently and emphasises certain aspects of the game,” said PSG’s manager of his side’s Italian opponents. “We all know Inter’s competitive spirit, and we know Italian football. They are a very complete team that play the ball well. And when they don’t have the ball, they defend very well. Inter are a team with very clear leaders. We’re not going to change anything in the way we attack or defend, but we’ll have to adapt to the characteristics of each opponent.”
Comment: The Club World Cup looms as powerbrokers from both governing bodies mingle in Munich for Europe’s biggest club game, writes Nick Ames.
Inter: Simone Inzaghi’s talent-packed team will be underdogs against PSG but believe they have learned from 2023 agony, writes Nicky Bandini.
Ousmane Dembele: “This has been a dream of mine since I was a child,” said the PSG striker, whose form this season has been revelatory. “I am very concentrated. This will be an unforgettable moment. I just hope tomorrow will be history in the making. Tomorrow will be a tense game. We know Paris will be vibrating with excitement. You need to keep a cool head. We are very excited but, as has been mentioned, we need to be calm, cool, collected, serious but smiling, because this is an incredible moment for us.”
Lautaro Martinez: “We’ve definitely improved a great deal as a team,” said Inter’s skipper and striker when asked if this iteration of the Serie A side are better equipped to win the Champions League than the team that lost against Manchester City two years ago. “We’ve developed, we’ve grown. We’ve come up against some top-class opponents in some very challenging arenas – we were up against teams that had long unbeaten home records, yet we turned up there, we played our football, we showed what we’re all about and we’ve earned respect in this competition.
Simone Inzaghi: “We have to step onto the pitch with the determination and desire to win this match,” said Inter’s manager, who never got further than the quarter-final as a player. “We’ll play it our way, with the qualities that brought us here. The journey we’ve been on, full of challenges, gives us great belief. We’ve made it this far and don’t want to stop now.”
Luis Enrique: “It has been a very difficult journey, with some really high-level matches since the very beginning of the competition,” said the PSG manager in yesterday’s pre-match press conference. “We’re used to playing these kinds of matches, and I think that can be a strength for us. Now we’ll try to take to the pitch with our best weapons. It’s a final. We’ve prepared for it, and we’ll try to draw the game towards areas where we consider ourselves to be better. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.”
Paris Saint-Germain: Luis Enrique has given his star players a holiday since they wrapped up the French title 57 days ago, writes Luke Entwhistle in Munich. Is that how to prepare for a tough Champions League final against Inter?
Champions League final: Despotism v capitalism in a clash of styles
Comment: “The Champions League final is a jarring and stirring clash of styles in so many ways,” writes Jonathan Liew. “The relentless attack of Paris Saint-Germain and the relentless defence of Inter. One team built on the freehand wizardry of youth and one built on the weathered edifice of experience. Flying wingers against flying wing-backs, two strikers against none. But perhaps the biggest philosophical difference is between two radically different models of a football club itself: who it serves, what it can be, what constitutes success, and how to get there.”
Guardian Football Weekly podcast: Max Rushden was in the chair as the Football Weekly panel previewed tonight’s Champions League final. You can listen to our discussion here and if you’re not already a regular listener, what have you been doing for the past 19 years!?!? You can sign up for Football Weekly on all the usual podcast platforms.
Preamble
Paris Saint-Germain take on Inter in what promises to be a fascinating and particularly intriguing Champions League final at the Allianz Arena this evening. Gnarly, streetwise and more experienced, the Nerazzurri are hoping to put their defeat at the hands of Manchester City two years ago behind them, but will have to overcome a treble-chasing French side to win their fourth European Cup. Younger and arguably more pleasing on the eye in this clash of styles, PSG are looking to lift the Champions League trophy for the first time.
