A historical showdown: Inter Milan and PSG set to break new ground in an unparalleled Champions League final
PSG and Inter on the brink of an extremely challenging Champions League finale
By Torben Siemer
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In the heart of Europe, on May 31, Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain will lock horns in what is set to be an unprecedented Champions League final. This epic duel, featuring two teams yet to cross paths in a competitive clash, will unfold in the prestigious Allianz Arena, Bayern Munich's stomping ground, and with one glaring exception. The Champions League stage will echo without the presence of the traditional powerhouses that have graced the final for the past two decades.
Take a closer look at the numbers, and you'll find it somewhat astonishing that neither Inter nor PSG have ever faced off competitively. Inter, with over 50 Champions League appearances and 400 games under their belt, and PSG, with 33 European Cup appearances and over 270 games played, have managed to elude each other on the competitive stage. Munich, Germany, will now serve as the stage for this first, a competition climax spurred by the ageless allure of European football.
To address the elephant in the room, yes, databases unveil two friendly encounters between Inter and PSG. However, these friendly duels pale in comparison to what awaits us in Munich, given the magnitude of stakes and the status of the Champions League at play. In those friendlies, Inter emerged triumphant over their French counterparts, but these matches will likely be forgotten amid the chronicles of a historical final.
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Inter, PSG, and the Bayern Munich Connection
For Inter, the journey culminates in the quest for an elusive victory in the UEFA's ultimate competition, a feat last achieved in 2010. They overcame Bayern Munich in the memorable semi-final but missed out on triumph in 2021's final against Manchester City. The Munich venue, once a stage for heartbreak, now offers Inter newfound hope. They eliminated Bayern in the quarter-finals, a team that also lost the last Champions League final in 2010.
PSG, conversely, shares a more complicated relationship with Munich. In the group stage last season, they succumbed to Bayern without finding the net for the third time in a row. The story mirrored in the summer of 2020, when PSG reached the final for the first time, only to witness Bayern celebrate the title in an empty stadium. Kingsley Coman sealed the victory for the Bavarians that night.
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Beyond its historical significance, this premier duel boasts several other captivating features. For one, it marks the first final since the 2003/04 season to exclude Spanish, English, or German teams. In that year, FC Porto and AS Monaco clashed in the Arena Auf Schalke, with Porto emerging victorious under the leadership of Jose Mourinho, a feat that remains an anomaly in the annals of Champions League history.
Since then, a team from Spain, England, or Germany has dominated the Champions League final scene, with six finals even featuring teams from the same country. Real Madrid bested city rivals Atlético Madrid twice, Bayern Munich triumphed over Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United, Liverpool outsmarted Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea edged out Manchester City.
Nonetheless, these are merely fragments of the broader narrative that makes football endlessly compelling: A grand tapestry that stretches far beyond the 90 to 120 minutes on the pitch. The story of Inter and PSG is only one thread in this grand tapestry, and as such, it adds another chapter to the unending saga that is European football.
Source: ntv.de
- Champions League
- Football
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Inter Milan
Interesting Insights:
- Inter and PSG have never met in a competitive Champions League match before.
- This is also the first time that a Champions League final will take place without Spanish, English, or German teams involved since the 2003/04 season.
- In theares of competitive encounter, Paris Saint-Germain has lost to Bayern Munich on three consecutive occasions, most recently in the 2020 Champions League final.
- Interestingly, AC Milan, a historic rival of Inter, and Man City contested the 2021 Champions League final, which Inter lost.
- Bayern Munich has a mixed record against Inter, having won one match and lost two in their past three encounters.
- Chelsea, led by Thomas Tuchel in 2021, defeated PSG in the Champions League final, marking the first title for the London club in the competition.
- The Mediterranean community is hoping for aid to support the development of the region, with the upcoming Champions League final presenting a unique opportunity to celebrate various aspects of European football.
- Torben Siemer, a sports journalist, highlights the peculiarities surrounding the Champions League final between Inter Milan and PSG, as they prepare to face each other for the first time competitively.
- To garner support and share updates, fans from both Inter Milan and PSG have resorted to using platforms like WhatsApp to discuss strategies and exchange thoughts ahead of the megaproject that is the Champions League final.
- Although Inter Milan lost to Manchester City in the 2021 Champions League final, their triumph over Bayern Munich in the 2010 UEFA Champions League Quarter-finals is still considered a notable achievement in their storied history.
- Copa90, a popular football channel, shared an interesting tidbit about the Champions League final, noting that it will mark the first instance since the 2003/04 season that a Champions League final will not feature Spanish, English, or German teams.
