The 2025 UEFA Champions League final is shaping up to be an electrifying encounter between two of Europe’s most formidable sides—Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Inter Milan—as they vie for the continent’s top club honour.
For the first time in over two decades, the grand finale will not feature a team from England, Spain, or Germany. The last time this occurred was in 2004, when José Mourinho’s Porto defeated Monaco, managed by Didier Deschamps.
This season, however, the achievements of both PSG and Inter make them worthy contenders for the trophy.Paris Saint-Germain’s journey through this season’s Champions League has been nothing short of dramatic.
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After a shaky start in the group stage, the French champions turned up the heat in the knockout rounds—dispatching three Premier League clubs in impressive fashion. They first overcame Liverpool in a nail-biting penalty shootout, followed by a hard-fought victory over Aston Villa, and finally cruised past Arsenal in the semifinals.
Despite years of heavy investment, PSG have yet to lift the Champions League trophy. Their closest brush came in 2020 when they were narrowly beaten by Bayern Munich in a final held behind closed doors in Lisbon.In contrast, Inter Milan carry a storied European legacy.
They have won the competition three times, most recently in 2010, and reached the final as recently as 2023, where they narrowly lost to Manchester City. Their current campaign saw them eliminate Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals—a team highly motivated to reach a home final—and survive a high-octane semifinal against Barcelona.
Both clubs have remained highly competitive on the domestic front leading into the final. PSG secured the Ligue 1 title comfortably but still had a competitive Coupe de France final to contest against Reims. Inter, meanwhile, have been in a tight title race with Napoli in Serie A, meaning neither team had the luxury of resting players.
PSG’s preparations have been affected slightly by fitness concerns. Ousmane Dembélé, recently named Ligue 1’s Player of the Year, missed the second leg against Arsenal due to a minor hamstring issue and sat out the next league game as a precaution. Nevertheless, PSG’s medical team has downplayed the severity of the injury.
Longtime center-back Presnel Kimpembe remains sidelined, though he had seen limited action even when fit.
PSG predicted lineup (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz; Doue, Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia.
Inter Milan are facing injury concerns of their own. Captain Lautaro Martinez, who scored the opening goal in the semifinal second leg against Barcelona, was not fully fit and had to be substituted early. His availability for the final remains uncertain, though he has shown a willingness to push through pain for his team.
Davide Frattesi, who netted the decisive goal against Barcelona, also played despite carrying a knock. However, he, along with Benjamin Pavard and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, is expected to be fit in time for the final. Martinez remains the biggest question mark, though few would be surprised if he takes to the pitch given the stakes.
Inter predicted lineup (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram.
If there’s anything this Champions League season has shown, it’s that PSG and Inter both know how to find the net—and concede at the same time.PSG have scored 31 goals since the final matchday of the group stage, averaging nearly 3 goals per game, though they’ve only kept six clean sheets in their 16 European fixtures.
Inter, on the other hand, began the tournament as a defensively solid unit, conceding just once during the league phase, but opened up considerably in the knockout rounds, netting 15 times and keeping only one clean sheet. Their two-legged semifinal against Barcelona alone saw a combined 13 goals.
Historically, Champions League finals tend to be low-scoring and cagey. From 2020 to 2023, each final ended 1-0, including the last appearances of both PSG and Inter. Real Madrid’s 2-0 victory in 2024 was an exception in terms of margin, but not in terms of overall excitement.
However, the attacking quality and vulnerabilities in both PSG and Inter suggest this year’s final could break the mold.
Football analysts have indicated that there will be goals from both teams, and possibly an extra 30 minutes to settle the tie. This is a tough one to call, but based on current form, squad depth, and knockout performances, Inter Milan might just edge it—though not without a fight.
Prediction: PSG 2-3 Inter (After Extra Time)
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