Champions League Final Preview: PSG vs Inter

Summary

The Athletic FC Podcast: Champions League Final Preview – PSG vs. Inter Milan

Release Date: May 30, 2025

In this episode of The Athletic FC Podcast, host Ayo Akimulere delves deep into the highly anticipated Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Inter Milan. Joined by James Horncastle, the Italian football correspondent, and Tom Williams, a French football specialist, the discussion offers comprehensive insights into both teams' journeys, tactical approaches, key players, and what the final holds for each club.

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1. Setting the Stage: Munich as the Final Venue

Timestamp: [02:21]

Ayo opens the discussion by highlighting Munich's rich footballing heritage, noting its significance as "the beating heart of Bavaria" and its history of hosting memorable finals. James Horncastle emphasizes Munich's importance by recalling that it was the venue where a French team, Marseille, secured their only Champions League title against AC Milan. He adds, “It's a great football city with a great venue as well” ([03:42]).

Tom Williams adds context by comparing the current final to the one held in Munich during the COVID era in 2020, emphasizing the vibrant atmosphere this time around with thousands of fans expected to fill the city. He notes, “The Eiffel Tower is being specially illuminated and is going to be lit up in PSG colors” ([05:00]).

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2. PSG's Season and Champions League Journey

Timestamp: [04:02]

Tom Williams reflects on PSG's dramatic season, highlighting their precarious position in the league until late matches and a pivotal home victory against Manchester City in January that “propelled them onto the right path” ([04:02]). He discusses PSG's resilience despite setbacks, such as their initial loss to Liverpool and the challenging second leg against Aston Villa.

Williams commends PSG's current form, stating, “They feel about as confident and look about as solid and as convincing as they probably have” ([08:03]). He credits manager Luis Enrique for instilling authority and creating a cohesive team, marking a significant shift from PSG's previous reliance on star power.

James Horncastle concurs, noting PSG's transformation under Enrique, highlighting their ability to adapt and overcome challenges: “They have been tested… generally huge excitement” ([04:55]).

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3. Inter Milan's Season and Champions League Journey

Timestamp: [10:14]

James Horncastle provides a detailed overview of Inter Milan's season, emphasizing their remarkable Champions League run despite a challenging domestic campaign. He highlights Inter’s consistency, particularly their defensive prowess, conceding only once during the league phase. Horncastle remarks, “They are a genuine elite team in European football” ([06:19]).

He further explains the significance of Inter's Champions League journey, mentioning their victories over Bayern Munich and Barcelona, where they scored 11 goals in total. Horncastle underscores Inter's tactical flexibility and offensive strength, countering the stereotype of Italian teams being overly defensive.

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4. Tactical Analysis: PSG vs. Inter Milan

Timestamp: [18:13]

The podcast transitions into a tactical breakdown of both teams. Tom Williams discusses PSG's tactical evolution under Luis Enrique, particularly the shift to deploying Usman Dembélé as a false nine, which has revitalized their attacking options. He notes, “This feels like the most cohesive PSG team that we've seen” ([08:16]).

James Horncastle provides insight into Inter’s tactical setup, praising manager Simone Inzaghi for modernizing the team. He highlights Inter's fluidity, positional interchanges, and their aggressive attacking style. Horncastle states, “It's a team that likes to dominate its opponents and take the game to them” ([19:45]).

Both analysts agree that the match will be a fascinating clash of PSG's structured attacking approach against Inter's dynamic and resilient gameplay.

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5. Key Players to Watch

Timestamp: [29:22]

The discussion shifts to individual performances, focusing on standout players:

• Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan): Renowned for his dual threat as an attacking fullback, Dumfries has been pivotal in Inter’s success, contributing multiple goals and assists. James Horncastle praises his versatility: “He can score goals as well. You know, he's as good attacking as he is defending” ([29:43]).

• Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan): Celebrated for his consistent goal-scoring ability, Lautaro is described as “the ideal strike partner for any striker” ([34:26]). His performances in crucial matches, including scoring in big games, make him a key player to watch.

• Usman Dembélé (PSG): Highlighted as a game-changer for PSG, Dembélé’s role as a false nine has been instrumental in PSG's attacking success. Tom Williams remarks, “He has been finally fulfilling that potential” ([31:58]).

• Ashraf Hakimi (PSG): Recognized for his offensive contributions, Hakimi is a significant threat from the backline, with multiple goals and assists in the tournament. His ability to create scoring opportunities is emphasized ([27:22]).

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6. Goalkeeping Showdown

Timestamp: [38:33]

Ayo and his guests turn their attention to the goalkeepers:

• Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG): Despite past criticisms, Donnarumma has risen to the occasion in the Champions League, making crucial saves and displaying improved aggressiveness since a facial injury earlier in the season. Tom Williams notes, “He is playing like one of the best goalkeepers in the world again” ([38:33]).

• Jan Oblak (Inter Milan): Celebrated for his exceptional performances, Oblak has been a cornerstone of Inter’s defense. James Horncastle highlights his remarkable saves, stating, “We've never had goalkeepers recognized for their jobs until now” ([41:16]).

Both goalkeepers are anticipated to play pivotal roles in the final, potentially tipping the scales in their teams' favor.

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7. Betting Insights and Predictions

Timestamp: [27:05]

The episode includes a segment with Alex Boyes, who provides betting insights for the final:

• Odds Favorability: PSG is favored at 6 to 10 odds, while Inter Milan stands at 13 to 10 ([27:22]).

• Key Bets: Boyes suggests considering bets on Ashraf Hakimi for goals or assists, as well as Jan Oblak for making multiple saves, and Denzel Dumfries for committing fouls ([27:05]).

• Historic Context: He mentions that all previous finals held in Munich resulted in first-time Champions League winners, potentially favoring PSG to make history this year ([27:22]).

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8. The Importance of the Final for Both Clubs

Timestamp: [45:39]

James Horncastle and Tom Williams discuss the broader implications of the final for PSG and Inter Milan:

• Inter Milan: Winning the Champions League would not only solidify their status as an elite European club but also rejuvenate their legacy, especially after years dominated by Juventus. Horncastle notes, “If they lose, they're going to be able to rejuvenate this team, invest in infrastructure” ([46:08]).

• PSG: For PSG, securing their first Champions League title would transform their identity from a club reliant on superstars to one respected for their strategic growth and cohesive team play. Tom Williams asserts, “What winning the Champions League would give PSG is the same thing that it gave Manchester City in 2023” ([48:00]).

Both analysts agree that the outcome of the final will have lasting impacts on the clubs' futures, fan bases, and standing in European football.

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9. Conclusion: A Battle of Titans

Timestamp: [53:25]

Ayo wraps up the episode by acknowledging the exceptional performances of both teams throughout the tournament. With both PSG and Inter Milan showcasing tactical brilliance and resilience, the final promises to be a spectacular showdown. He remarks, “I'm just thinking about the age profile of this Inter team versus obviously the PSG team and what winning this Champions League would mean to this team” ([45:39]).

Tom Williams echoes the sentiment, emphasizing the unprecedented nature of this final and the high stakes for both clubs: “If they win, then they've achieved the one thing that has proved beyond them ever since the Qataris took over in 2011” ([53:25]).

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Notable Quotes:

• James Horncastle:

  • “It's a great football city with a great venue as well” ([03:42]).
  • “They are a genuine elite team in European football” ([06:19]).
  • “He is playing like one of the best goalkeepers in the world again” ([41:16]).

• Tom Williams:

  • “They feel about as confident and look about as solid and as convincing as they probably have” ([08:03]).
  • “He has been finally fulfilling that potential” ([31:58]).
  • “What winning the Champions League would give PSG is the same thing that it gave Manchester City in 2023” ([48:00]).

• Ayo Akimulere:

  • “I'm just thinking about the age profile of this Inter team versus obviously the PSG team and what winning this Champions League would mean to this team” ([45:39]).
  • “I'm just thinking about the age profile of this Inter team versus obviously the PSG team and what winning this Champions League would mean to this team” ([53:25]).

---

Final Thoughts:

The Champions League final between PSG and Inter Milan is set to be a historic clash, showcasing the culmination of two distinct footballing philosophies. PSG's structured, cohesive team under Luis Enrique faces Inter’s dynamic and resilient squad managed by Simone Inzaghi. With both teams eager to etch their names in European history, fans can expect a thrilling encounter filled with tactical masterstrokes, exceptional individual performances, and high-stakes drama.

---

For more in-depth analysis and coverage of the biggest stories in football, tune into The Athletic FC Podcast available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.

Transcript

[Host 1]

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[James Horncastle]

The Athletic FC podcast network.

[Ayo Akimulere]

Hello, I'm Ayo Akimulere. Welcome to the preview on the Athletic fc, focusing on the Champions League finalist PSG take on Inter Milan in Munich. Joining me today we have the Athletics Italian football correspondent James Horncastle and French football specialist Tom Williams. Gents, good to have you with us. Let's start with you, James. Munich, the beating heart of Bavaria. Talk to me about the atmosphere and the build up to this Champions League final because it is also a really great footballing city.

[James Horncastle]

It is. It's got a great tradition of hosting finals as well. Yeah, it's obviously where the one and only time a French team has won the Champions League, they did it here and they did it against the Italian team, Marseille against AC Milan. And you know, whenever there's been a final here, a team has won for the first time as well. Which, you know, so far the. The Italian. The intellisti that I've kind of come across, you know, are not aware of that stat and don't want telling that stat. It's just a great football city with a, with a great venue as well. You know, maybe the Allianz arena is not like the Bernabeu or San Siro in terms of having the same history, because I think, you know, we are all of a generation when Bayern used to play at the Olympia Stadion. But, you know, it certainly thrust itself out there as one of the great European venues.

[Ayo Akimulere]

Yeah, I didn't realize they hosted the last time that a French team won a European Cup. I mean, that's quite interesting considering it's Marseille and it's PSG this time around. Tom, what feelings are there coming into this tournament from Paris? Because I just sort of think, you know, what we expected at the beginning of the season for PSG in the tournament versus where we are right now. Very different feelings in my eyes.

[Tom Williams]

Yeah, I think completely. When you look back to the league phase and the fact that they were hanging on by a thread right up until the last two or three matches, and it was really that remarkable home game against Manchester City in the driving rain at the Parc des Princes at the end of January that, you know, got them on the. On the right path. And since then they feel like they've been kind of propelled by the momentum that they generated that night. And, you know, there have been wobbles, you know, obviously losing the first leg against Liverpool in the last 16, getting a real battering by Aston Villa in the second leg of the quarterfinal against Villa Park. And I thought they were curiously inhi in the second leg of the semi final against Arsenal, which you will remember.

[Ayo Akimulere]

Well, you don't have to remind me, please.

[Tom Williams]

Yeah, we won't go any further, but yeah, you know, they have been tested. I think there is a, you know, there is a significant degree of optimism, but at the same time, Inter are the worst kind of opponent for a team like this. You know, a young team, a team who are just emerging, who are still kind of finding their feet at this level, versus the grisly old heads of Internazionale. So know, there's a lot of wariness, but, yeah, generally huge excitement. And, you know, you Compare it to 2020, when PSG last reached the Champions League final. We were in Covid. It was played in an empty stadium in Lisbon, you know, whereas now thousands of fans in Munich for the game, the part they prance is going to be sold out. They're showing it on big screens. The Eiffel Tower is being specially illuminated and is going to be lit up in PSG colors. For every PSG goal, there are pro PSG messages on, you know, sort of information screens around the city and a lot of excitement.

[Ayo Akimulere]

I want to ask you both in terms of, for me, if they feel like the two worthy teams to be in this final. But yeah, let's look at that, James, from an Italian perspective, that the grizzly old Italians, you know, versus these young whippersnappers. I mean, Inter have really once again shown where they should be standing in European football in just that Barcelona game alone will stand in folklore of Champions League football.

[James Horncastle]

Yeah, I think, you know, going back to two years ago when they last reached the final in Istanbul and it was, you know, give or take two or three players, the same group. Onana went to Man United afterwards, Brozovic went to Saudi Arabia, Jeffco to Fenerbahce, and Lukaku basically said he didn't want to sign for the club, which means he's Persona non grata among his own teammates. But people said when Interlast reached the final that, oh, they were on the quote, unquote, right side of the draw. You know, they played Porto in the knockout stages, then played Benfica and then they played AC Milan in the semifinals. People looked at City, their opponent, and City have had to really run the gauntlet here. If you look at it this, this time around. I mean, you can't begrudge Inter not only their place in the final, but their status as, as a genuine elite team in European football. Because even in the league phase, they went away to the Etihad to Play man City before City's CR hit played not a second string, but not their full strength team. Came away nil. Nil. Beat Arsenal 1 nil at San Siro in the league phase. Only conceded one goal throughout that league phase. And then in the knockout stages beat Bayern, beat Barcelona and you know, they put 11 goals past those two teams which is, is, is no mean feat. And to me it's slightly surprising, I suppose, that this Inter team is still being presented a little bit like an old school Italian team because of the moments in which they had to dig in against Barcelona. But it's a team that scored 114 goals this year and as I mentioned, put 11 goals past Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

[Ayo Akimulere]

So true, so true. And psg, I mean, I think surprised a lot of people, Tom, but in a very good way. And having people think that perhaps under Enrique potentially this could be a Champions League trophy for them.

[Tom Williams]

Yeah, absolutely. And you know, obviously the most striking thing with PSG is that it's at the moment when they have finally said goodbye to all the superstars that they actually look closer to winning the Champions League than ever before. I mean, you know, you go back to 2020, if you rewatch that game, it was actually an extremely close final and PSG could very easily have won it. You know, Mbappe squanders a very presentable chance, but Bayern attacked in this very sort of gung ho fashion even when they were 1 nil up. And it could have gone the other way. But this feels like the most cohesive PSG team that we've seen, you know, during this era. Luis Enrique has, has clearly put his stamp on things, has got more authority than any PSG coach has had since the Qataris bought the club in, in 2011. And you know that there is a, a real feeling of a kind of an organic progression and there is inevitably great wariness about, about Inter, particularly the fact that, you know, they were in the final so recently and the Champions League is just full of examples of teams who missed out one year and then came back either the year after or the year after that and won it, which would obviously be the case for Inter. But you know, I think PSG feel about as confident and look about as, as, as solid and about as convincing as they pro have done.

[Ayo Akimulere]

Well, I want to look a little further back into just summarizing their season so far. James, let's start with Inter. You know, I think we spoke in a previous podcast how, you know, coming into that Barca match there were a sort of a string of, of losses, really. Especially the super copper against city rivals Milan. And you know, that last day I say glitch and Serie A when Napoli clinched it. I mean, how would Inter fans sum up this season so far? Because they are in a Champions League final and this could completely change the course of the season completely if they manage to lift this cup.

[James Horncastle]

Yeah, it's one of those things where, you know, you can wipe out all of the disappointment of a season in this one game on Saturday night. And, you know, it's strange to actually talk about it in terms of disappointment because Inter, up until the end of April, we're on course for a treble. Yeah, they were the defending champions and they've hung in there in the title race right until the final day. Napoli won the title with the lowest points total since 2011. And because of that, people look at Inter and say, you know, you kind of let them have it really, because it was your mistakes that allowed this Napoli team to win the league with such a low points total. And yeah, I think we talked about it on the pod at the beginning of the week that, you know, as much as Scott McTominay has become this icon, this hero of the Neapolitans, the other heroes and icons for them of this season don't play for Napoli. They're players who've scored goals against Inter, late goals against Inter that stopped them winning the league. So Pedro Fallacio and Ricardo Orsolini for, for Bologna. But I think, you know, Inter, Inter fans still appreciate what this team has tried to do this year. They appreciate that it's really difficult to win a treble. Perhaps, you know, we'll get to PSG's own treble ambitions with Tom in a moment. But like for Inter, yeah, the super cup has been expanded so it's no longer a one off game. You have to go to Saudi Arabia, you play a semifinal, you play a final. There's obviously Copper Italia. The Champions League has been expanded this year, so there are more games you play in January and you've got the Club World cup coming up as well. And so Inter played 19 more games than Napoli this season, which, you know, as their president Pepe Marotta said the other day, you know, that is the equivalent of half a season on top of a regular season. So it's actually very difficult to win all of those competitions. The one that they want to win above all, of course, is this one on Saturday.

[Ayo Akimulere]

Yeah, I guess also considering the age profile of this team, I think they're the oldest team in The Champions League this season. Remarkable. They have made it all the way to the final. Psg, second consecutive treble under manager Luis Enrique. Looking for the quadruple if they pick up the Champions League, Tom. I mean, this is quite interesting, but also groundbreaking and historic potentially for this PSG team, but also in terms of Luis Enrique as a coach, as a manager, I mean, wow.

[Tom Williams]

Yeah, it would be huge, and I mean, it would be the first treble slash quadruple in French football history. But because European cup wins have been so scarce, there isn't really any talk of the treble. You know, it's. It's winning the Champions League. It's finally, you know, matching Marseille's achievement from 1993, which Marseille fans still, you know, happily go on about. And the very clever thing about the way Marseille kind of market that success is that the slogan that has accompanied that win has always been, we will always be the first. So in a way, future successes by other French teams, they were already anticipating that back in 93. It doesn't matter who wins it afterwards. We won it first. So, yeah, you know, PSG would be very happy to equal that. And for Luis Enrique, I think he has been a victim of unfortunate timing in many ways, in that he was the Barcelona coach who came after Guardiola, you know, and won the champions league in 2015, won the treble, Barcelona's first treble, with what people saw as Guardiola's team, even though, you know, Luis Enrique's Barcelona were a very different team in terms of the football they played. You know, that was every bit his success. And everything he achieved with Spain kind of came after the golden era of 2008 through, through to 2012. And so as a consequence, we. We tend not to really talk about him as one of the great coaches of his era. And I think he probably does deserve to be considered like that. But it will take beating Inter on. On Saturday or at the very least, winning the Champions League with PSG at some point for him to get that sort of acclaim, because, you know, I think if you take his career as a whole, he's clearly, you know, an exceptional coach. You know, he's given this PSG team an identity that no other coach has succeeded in doing, really. I mean, the last coach who. Who put his stamp on the team in terms of their style of play as successfully and over a long period of time was Laurent Blanc. And that's going back to 2013, 2016, never got anywhere in the Champions League. And every coach that's come in between has kind of tried and failed and ended up fudging things. And okay, Luis Enrique has benefited from a level of authority that a lot of his predecessors didn't have, but he's nonetheless succeeded.

[Host 1]

I'm not saying I'm obsessed with basketball, but my neighbors definitely know when there's a new doc on prime video because I yell at the TV like I'm coaching the team. And with Amazon Prime, I can always count on fast free delivery when ordering a mini hoop, ankle socks, and three different headbands because style matters even when you're missing layups. Amazon Music that's my pump up playlist for driveway dunks and imaginary crowd cheers. Prime is my coach, my hype man, and my gear guy all in one. Whatever you're into, it's on Prime. Visit Amazon.com prime to get more out of whatever you're into. Prime One membership endless assists They've done it again. Ebay and PSA are leveling up your collecting game with one click Grading now on ebay listings, all you got to do is find a raw card over 250, add grading and make your purchase seamless and so easy. Plus, for a limited time, shipping from PSA to you is free. Yeah, we said free. Stacking slabs has never been easier. Go to eBay.com PSA for all the details and build that epic collection today. As you've probably heard by now, we've teamed up with BetMGM. This season we'll be using BetMGM lines to make all of our picks and we'll have special offers for our listeners each week. If you haven't signed up for BetMGM yet, use bonus code TheAthletic and you'll get a one year subscription to the Athletic plus up to a 1500 dollar first bet offer on your first wager with BetMGM. Here's how it works. Download the BetMGM app and sign up using bonus code TheAthletic. Make your first deposit of at least $10. Place your first bet on any game and claim your voucher for a one year subscription to the Athletic.

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[Host 1]

Don't forget, but if you haven't signed up for BETMGM yet, use bonus code theathletic and you'll get a one year subscription to the Athletic plus up to a $1500 first bet offer on your first wager.

[Tom Williams]

You're listening to the Athletic FC podcast with IO Accumulere.

[Ayo Akimulere]

Well, Inter's Champions League journey has been nothing short of remarkable. Let's have a listen to a clip from Duncan Alexander and Mark Carey speaking on the Athletic FC Tactics podcast.

[Alex Boyes]

Mike, you've noted how strong Inch have.

[Tom Williams]

Been throughout this edition of Champions League.

[Alex Boyes]

Looking at time spent in winning, drawing and losing positions, or Game State as we like to call it.

[James Horncastle]

Game State as we like to call it.

[Tom Williams]

Yeah, it's crazy, but cumulatively across the whole of Champions League phase, They've only spent 16 minutes in a losing Game State, which is bonkers in itself for a team who's going to get to the final. It's even more crazy when you think about how many games there have been in this iteration of the Champions League. They played Barcelona and Bayern Munich across two legs, Arsenal, Manchester City, Bayer Leverkusen, among others as well. So the context of all of that added together is just, yeah, just crazy.

[Ayo Akimulere]

Yeah. I mean, to hear more of the tactical breakdown of Saturday's final, head over to the Athletic FC Tactics podcast or if you're watching on YouTube, you can find it on the Athletic FC James Mark took the words out my mouth. Absolutely bonkers. Just 16 minutes of losing across the whole of the Champions League campaign. Leading just once in the group stage, but last time out beating Barcelona 7 6, as we've spoken about on aggregate in the tie of the tournament. Now, I mean, let's just give some credit to Inzaghi and his team for being able to adapt and also win in many different ways. Because, you know, always the criticism of Italian football has always been that they're not scoring enough. It's uberly defensive. Okay, they're defensive, which is great, but they're also banging the goals in.

[James Horncastle]

James yeah, I think it's actually interesting considering the reception of this interteam going into this final. Because look, if you play against Barcelona, particularly a good Barcelona, doesn't matter what team you are, you're likely to not have a lot of the ball. You're likely to be in your own penalty area and having to Kind of construct attacks through transition. Right. But that for the most part is not who Inter are or have been under Simone Inzaghi. It's a team that has, for its own kind of fluidity, its positional interchanges, has been right at the kind of very vanguard, I would say, of European football. Right at the forefront of where tactics are going or where we think football should be. And you know, I mentioned that they'd scored 114 goals. You know, this is a team that likes to dominate its opponents and take the game to them. You know, I spoke to again the president, Madotta for a piece that went, went up this morning and you know, Madotta was saying, you know, people like Inzaghi, his brand of football, because it's entertaining and it engages not only the fans, it engages the players as well. Defenders join in and attacks. We'll see Alessandro Bastoni, the left sided center back, move forward, bring the ball up and then continue running and want to be part of the attack. We'll see Barela drop in, be a, be a defender or playmaker deep than you'd expect him. You'll see Denzel Dumfries play as a second striker, shadow striker really, and try and use his size as a mismatch. So to me those games against Barcelona were on the one hand not who into are. And yet it never ceases to amaze me how the institutional memory, the, the muscle reflex of Italians who've been brought up, going to soccer school as kids, they still know what to do and are essentially reflective of their DNA, which is if we really need to dig in and grind out a win, if we have to suffer, that's just who we are. Even though that's not the football that Inzaghi has taught us, it just goes back to our very essence and we can do that. So I think this PSG game is going to be fascinating because there will be moments like those that interfaced against Barcelona. But I also think that Inters midfield, Mikhaytai and Barela and Chalanolu, they, they'll, they will back themselves against any midfield in the world that's not got De Jong and Pedri in it or whatever, you know, who can just dominate. I think they'll fancy themselves to have moments where, where Inter dominate with the ball in Munich. So it is very interesting to see the Inter that we've got to know Andunzaghi over the last four years and the one that's got to this Champions League final conceding only once in the League phase. And as we saw, many people came away from those games against Barcelona thinking classic Italian team is dug in. And yet they're also an Italian team that scored seven goals against that Barcelona team for sure.

[Ayo Akimulere]

And definitely something to look out for from a PSG perspective. Tom. But what about psg, you know, what sparked their incredible turn of fortunes? Because I can also technically credit them with street smarts. You look at some games against, against, you know, Brest 7 nil. Talk about games against Stuttgart 41 and obviously the way they start the tournament was really interesting, but then really cagey games against Liverpool. Can we say they've also been dynamic in their approaches to games as well?

[Tom Williams]

Yeah, I mean, I think PSG's evolution over the course of the season has been really interesting because they only started playing really eye catching football midway through the season. It coincided with the decision to deploy Usman Dembele as the false nine after Luis Enrique had tried out pretty much everyone else in that position with limited success. And I think that was, that was the last piece of, of the jigsaw tactically. You go back to the team that lost to Arsenal in October at the Emirates in the league phase and the starting 11 won't be hugely different against Inter tomorrow. But having Dembele in as the false nine changes everything. Another major development in terms of PSG's evolution was that in the autumn when they were dominating games, particularly in the Champions League, but not scoring enough goals, there was friction between Luis Enrique and some of the players. Luis Enrique is obsessed with control, he's obsessed with having the ball. You know, he is a very pure Croifian coach in that respect. But his squad is packed with exceptional counter attacking players. You look at that forward line, you know, one of the images of PSG this season is that forward line galloping into space. You know, Dembele, Bradley, Barcola, Desire, Duellia, they're all capable of doing it. The fullback, Acho Reverkimi and Nuno Mendes and they felt they were being made to play with a handbrake on and you know, Luis Enrique accepted to give them a little bit more freedom to play what they felt was their natural game. And Nuno Mendes role has evolved in quite an interesting way because initially after Luis Enrique came in, the deal was that he was gonna be the one who would have to compensate for Hakimi getting forward on the right. And so despite the fact that Nuno mend an exceptional attacking fullback, he spent an awful lot of time just kind of slotting in and, and, and you know, giving PSG a back three in order to give Hakimi the platform on which to raid forward down the right. And this was something that PSG's players flagged. It was like, nuno Mendes is an incredible counterattacking fullback, the same as Hakimi. Why are you stopping him from doing that? And, and part of it was because Luis Enrique's instinctive reaction when his side win the ball back is, don't lose it. Get the shape first and then we'll think about picking them off. Whereas James was saying that the muscle memory in the interteam, the muscle memory of those PSG forwards in particular, is attack the space and attack it as quickly as you can. So there has been an evolution. And yet in spite of that, as you say, we have seen quite kind of cagey performances from psg. And as the competition has advanced, there have been moments where you felt that we've returned sometimes to the kind of situation we found in their league phase games where they're brilliant, if you think about the first leg against Liverpool, for example, but they don't take their chances and consequently they leave themselves exposed to a sucker punch, which obviously is what happened at the end of that game with a Harvey Elliott goal. So, yeah, it's interesting that there has been this kind of move away from the kind of extreme dogmatism of Luis Enrique in terms of the way they approach their matches. But nevertheless, you know, they have shown that they could win games one nil, you know, that they can ride out difficult moments. We saw that in particular in the semis against Arsenal. The Athletic FC podcast, proudly sponsored by Betfair.

[Ayo Akimulere]

So this is the part of the show where we look how teams and players have been playing differently with our partners. Betfair. Alex Boyes joins me. Alex, it's the Champions League league final on Saturday. Big, big game as PSG take on Inter Milan in Munich. Which side do you think is destined for European glory?

[Alex Boyes]

Yeah, what's unique about this final? But it's the first ever competitive meeting between Inter Milan and psg, which feels remarkable on its own. And it is PSG who are the 6 to 10 odds on favorites to lift the trophy on Saturday ahead of Inter Milan, who are 13 to 10 to do so by any method. Let's not forget Inter Milan finished six points ahead of PSG in the league phase. The Italians had the best defense across those eight games, conceding just once. But we can't really pigeonhole this inside into a defensive team because they did concede six gold in the semi. Finals in those amazing two legs with Barcelona but still came out on top and that must give them huge confidence coming into the final. And if you do fancy goals again over five and a half goals, which did happen in those two legs is priced up at 12 to 1 this time around. PSG, they're the story because they of course never won the competition. And get this, the four occasions the Champions League or European cup has been held in Munich, all four winners were lifting the trophy for the very first time. So perhaps fit will be on Luis Enrique's side this weekend. And if they are going to win it, who should we be looking at from a betting point of view on the sports book? And for me I would start any bet builder with Ashraf Hakimi to score or assist because only Dembele has got more gold involvements in the competition for PSG than hakimi. He's got five assists, he scored three times. He also sits fourth overall for chances created and that's 12 to 5 on its own. So if we add that using the bet builder, I like the look of Jan summer to make four plus saves. He's got the second most in the competition. He averages 3.6 per 90 and he's got the best goals prevented ratio of any goalkeeper. He's had that for a few years as well. Been fantastic since he signed for Inter Milan. And then the final leg I'm looking at is dentist or Dumfries to commit two fouls. He's managed that in seven of his last 11 appearances and that has given us combined odds of 6 to 1 on. And the bet is also protected by safe sub. So if our players were to be subbed off, our bet would still be on.

[Ayo Akimulere]

May the best team win. I can't call this one. Cheers, Alex.

[Tom Williams]

That was play different brought to you by Betfair.

[Ayo Akimulere]

Well, let's, let's look at this Inter team. James, you've both talked about the importance of fullbacks in, in both teams. They're a huge danger. Denzel Dumfries scored two goals and registered three assists across the two legs against Barcelona. I mean this lad's engine is unre. He can score goals as well. You know, he's as good attacking as he is defending.

[James Horncastle]

Yeah, Denzel who was signed to replace Hakimi, you know Hakimi who was kind of sacrificed because of the financial problems that Inter's old owners were going through during COVID Dumfries has, he's had his ups and downs at Inter. I mean he tends to score in the big games. And that's why people have this. I'm not going to say it's a disproportionate impression of him, but he would jump over Teo Hernandez in Milan derbies and score goals or. Yeah, there are lots of memes of him. How should I politely say this? Owning Theo Hernandez. And you know, then in, in the Champions League this year, you know, obviously against Barcelona, he, he's stepped up. I mean, in the first leg at Monjuic, he's involved in all of their three goals and you know, it's his ball in for. For a chedby, which takes the game into extra time as well. And, you know, I mean, he is a really interesting matchup because I think it's mainly that, that size that he has and the encouragement Inzag gives him to run in behind and, and play almost as a shadow striker, which is. Yeah, it's very difficult for opposition defenders to know what he's doing and where he is. Having said that, again, I didn't put him in my team of the season in Syria because, interesting, he's only played really half a season in the league. He's often been out injured and Dadmian has Dad Meyan, one of the Man United players, along with Mkhetaryan, who kind of has shown how United say these players aren't good enough for us. And yeah, here they are second Champions League finally in three years for sure.

[Ayo Akimulere]

Now, Lamina Mal, and I'm going to use James's term here, have owned Inter Milan's backline across the two legs in the semis, Tom. But PSG certainly have quite a few players that can raise a few eyebrows as well. Kavicha Kwad, Escalia, Desiree Due, Brady Barkala. But you've just done a profile piece on Usman Dembele which has gone on the Athletic this morning. I mean, we've spoken about him several times, just the evolution of this player. But just tell us about what we've unearthed in this piece.

[Tom Williams]

Yeah, I mean, Dembele is a fascinating character. I think he always has been in that. People have very different perspectives towards him. You ask, you know, most French football fans and they love him and they've loved him right from the start. You know, he breaks into the hand team in the autumn of 2015 and immediately he's just scoring hat tricks, winning games on his own. And then you know that famous interview very early on when he's not sure whether he's right footed or left footed. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Obviously slightly away with the fairies, head in the clouds. All his teammates love him in the France team. Him and Mbappe get on. Every time you see him on tv, on social media, he seems to be laughing about something. And he's obviously like, a very entertaining guy to be around. You know, he. He makes people laugh their heads off. But then you ask people about his time at Borussia Dortmund, you know, Dortmund fans, and they're like, what, the guy who went on strike to force his way out of the club after we'd brought him here and, you know, given him a nice contract and put him up in a lovely house. But, yeah, but then Barcelona again. What, the guy who was injured all the time, the guy who. Who, you know, kept turning up late for training, who, you know, whose diet was horrible, you know, who didn't respect the club, who we spent €135 million on, and who averaged about nine goals a season. So there's a lot of, you know, a lot of misunderstandings around Mbele, and he is someone who is. He's kind of very determined. He has this image of being this kind of happy, go, lucky joker. But, you know, he went on strike when he was at hand, before he'd even made his first team debut, because he didn't think he was getting enough opportunities. He went on strike at Dortmund, you know, to go to force the move through to Barcelona. You know, he's occasionally been quite outspoken in his criticism of psg. Even this season, you know, the. The second leg of the quarterfinal against Aston Villa kind of stands there, being interviewed on the touchline, and he looked as if PSG had lost. I mean, he was so annoyed, you know, oh, we. We thought we were there already. We got ahead of ourselves, et cetera, et cetera. So he's an interesting character. So, yeah, part of. Part of the idea behind this piece was to try and explore that a little bit, get. Get a sense of. Of what he's really like. And, yeah, also, you know, kind of retrace some of the highs and lows because he's. He. He felt like he was a player of potential for so long, and it's only really. This season, it's only really been since the middle of December when he started playing in that false 9 role and started scoring goals at an absurd rate that he. You feel like he's finally, you know, finally fulfilling that potential. And he's just turned 28, so, you know, it has. Has taken him a little bit of time.

[Ayo Akimulere]

Yeah. I just wonder if there's some similarities here, James, to The Barcelona forward line as well in, in terms of how Inter approach this match because yes, this is yet again another devastating forward line from psg. But you know Inter do have some potent forwards up there. Martinez for sure, Turam for sure. And also a subs bench that we know can make a difference when they need to make a difference.

[James Horncastle]

Yeah, I think you know Lautaro, you know, still doesn't get the recognition that yeah, his performances have deserved over the last four or five years. I think there's always a striker in Italy that, that tends to have a very good season and it's a one off and everyone gets talking about them and Lautaro sort of is in the shade, you know, in the shadow of that. So yeah, that has been Duan Vlajevic in the past. There has been Victor Oz and yet yeah, Lautaro is the player who scores 20 goals every season. He shows up for whatever reason. People don't think he does it in big games. I think that's largely because their views are skewed by World cup in Qatar. When he started the tournament alongside Messi, scored against Saudi, it was ruled out and then they lose to Saudi. All the pressure on the in the world falls on Argentina. He loses his place. Julian Alvarez. Alvarez has a great tournament but again in terms of big goals. I remember the quarterfinal against Holland which goes down to a penalty shootout and who takes the final penalty? Slavtaro. He scores it. If he doesn't score that Argentina go home. Messi never wins the World Cup. Yeah. Even with Inter. He scored away in Barcelona, he scored away in Madrid. He scored away at Liverpool. He scored. Yeah. I mean these away games against that caliber of team is where you judge players and he's always done it. He's always made the player next to him look great as well. You know he is the ideal strike partner for any striker. So Lukaku, best ever season. Who was it playing alongside? Lautaro. How did they get to the Champions League final last time around? Checo scoring because he had Lautaro next to him. Marcus Tiram, you know Marcus in his own right is worth talking about and you know, has links to Paris, PSG and you know obviously part of that France national team knows a lot of the players that, that play for for psg. Yeah. Marcus has never had seasons like the ones the last two that he's had alongside Lautado. So yeah, it's, it's great to see a team that still trusts and plays with a proper old strike partnership. Proper strike partnership and you know we'll, we'll have to see how PSG's defence cope with them, particularly in transition. And you know, as you mentioned, you know how Inter's defense copes with, with PSG's front line because you know, they've obviously played with Kavad against Kavadatskhalia during his two years at Napoli. They know him but sometimes knowing these players isn't enough because they're that unpredictable, you know, or they, they have a trick that everyone knows they're doing. Oh, he's coming inside, he's coming inside, he's coming inside, you know, you know he's going to do that and it still can't stop him. And then I think against Barcelona they spoke at length, the interplayers, about how that first leg was really important because they'd watched a lot of video of Lemine. But until you actually play it, until you actually get a feel for him on the pitch, it's very different. And I think that that will be kind of quite similar with due, quite similar with Dembele and they're not going to have that second chance to. Okay, we've, we've used one game to get to know them. Now we'll put that into practice in the second game. This is a one off and I think that's still an advantage for psg.

[Ayo Akimulere]

Yeah, I mean, we haven't even gone into the midfield of both teams. Fabian Ruiz, Joao Neves, Vitinia for Paris Saint Germain, Barela Cananolu, Mkhitaryan on the inside. A real battle there on both sides. I want to talk quickly gents, about, about both goalkeepers who've actually been insane, especially in the semi finals. Gianluigi Donaruma, Jan Sommer. I mean, how important do you think they're going to be in, in this match? Because, you know, if I'm honest, Donnarum has definitely had his criticisms over the years, but for some reason he seems to coming up trumps very recently in.

[Tom Williams]

The Champions League massively. And the mood music, even right up until the middle of the season, was that PSG were looking for a new goalkeeper. You know, they've been very strongly linked with Luca Chevalier at Lille, who is unquestionably a France number one in waiting. Donnarumma doesn't have the kind of profile of goalkeeper that Luis Enrique tends to look for. He's not great with the ball at his feet. You know, we all know what a, an incredible kind of old school shot stopper he is, but in spite of his size, he doesn't really dominate his penalty area and that was something that, that hurt PSG last season. You know, you, you go back to the Chambers League semi final against Borussia Dortmund and it set pieces, defensive set pieces, that, that cost them. And you know, this is true of a lot of Italian goalkeepers. You know, coming out racing from your line to claim high balls is, is not kind of part of the goalkeeping doctrine in Italy and in the way that it might be in other countries. And so people wonder whether Donna Rimmen was, was capable of it. And I think one of the turning points appears to have been the horrendous facial injury that he suffered against Monaco in December when Wilfred Singo, the Monaco defender, planted his boot on Donnarumma's, you know, right into Donna Rumma's face as he chased a through ball, leaving him with this really ugly scar that, you know, that you, you see very clearly every time he pops up on your TV screen. And you know, Donnarummer has kind of said himself that it kind of, it's kind of brought something out in him and, and something that he's been applauded for particularly in the Champions League, has been showing greater desire to leave his line, particularly at set pieces, and come and challenge for high balls. You know, we saw that in the games against the three English clubs in the knockout rounds. I think that's helped as well, having three English teams one after the other, Liverpool and then Villa and then Arsenal with all their set piece prowess. And then on top of that, when he's called upon to do the things he's always been good at, he has been exceptional. I mean, some of those saves against Aston Villa in the return leg of the quarterfinal against Villa Park, I mean, some of the saves of the season and for the first time there's, I think there's a feeling of unanimity around Donnarummer. Yes, he's not great with the ball at his feet, but he is playing like one of the best goalkeepers in the world again. Again. And if PSG are to win the Champions League, you know, they will, you know, quite possibly need another kind of performance of that level from him.

[Ayo Akimulere]

Yeah, just a quick one. James on, on summer as well. Incredibly experienced international. Didn't quite work out at Bayern Munich, I think. An absolute savvy buy for Inter and look, he's coming up trumps again. He showed all that experience in a lot of the latter stages in this tournament as well.

[James Horncastle]

Yeah, and the saves he made in that second leg at San Siro were incredible. I mean, there is one which within the stadium itself felt a bigger moment than it did on your sofa watching on tv. And that's when he makes the save from Eric Garcia at 2 1. And the stadium held its breath at that moment and then kind of celebrated that save like he had scored a goal himself. And then only on the video replay. You look at it and think, okay, center backs had a shot there. It's quite savable for the goalkeeper, but as a moment it felt massive. And then the save on La Minimal later is, you know, one of the saves of the season. And so I think both of these goalkeepers have had an incredible contribution in both reaching the final channel. It's quite nice to actually be talking about goalkeepers doing their jobs and being recognized for doing their jobs whilst also talking about how good these teams are. Because usually when we talk about goalkeepers having great games, it tends tends to be yeah, because we're making disparaging points about the performance of the team in front of them. And instead we're like, wow, look at how electric these teams are, how many goals they score, the dribblers. Oh but yeah, and the goalkeepers have been amazing as well. So it's great that everyone, everyone is holding up their side of the bargain.

[Raj Panjabi]

Welcome to Money Moves brought to you by Amazon Business. Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark has continued to make her team the hottest ticket in the wnba. Indiana led the league in attendance for the first time in history last season, with the bump not only occurring in Indy, but on the road to this season. The Fever are set to play road games inside larger arenas against the Chicago sky and Washington Mystics. And if you can't get tickets, don't worry. You'll be like millions of other fans who now watch the Fever on tv. Last season, six different television partners set viewership records, with all six coming in the Fevers games. Championship expectations now follow the team, but a business boom does too. Bring your vision to life with smart business buying tools and technology from Amazon Business Business. From fast free shipping to in depth buying insights and automated purchase approvals, we deliver everything you need to achieve your goals. It's not easy to send out from the crowd. Simplify how you stock up to get ahead. Go to amazonbusiness.com for support.

[Host 1]

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[Ayo Akimulere]

I'm just thinking about the age profile of this Inter team versus obviously the PSG team and what winning this Champions League would mean to this team. Because some might see it as the swan song for a lot of these players in terms of the Champions League, but also I think in terms of respect. And it's something that comes across in the piece you write of where Inter are as a juggernaut in European football. How important do you think it would be for them to really win this? Because it's been a while since they lifted this European Cup.

[James Horncastle]

Yeah, I mean this is a club that for many years was bigger than Barcelona, at least in terms of history and prestige in terms of championship league wins. You know, it was only really overtaken by Barcelona in In the last 15 years since Interlast won the Champions League. You know, when you had that collision of Guardiola Messi, La Masia just created not only a super club, but super brand. I think for, for Inter, it's, it would be massive for them because when they won the Champions League and did the treble in 2010. Yeah, for, for the then owner Massimo Morati, that was, was he just wanted to emulate his father. And after doing that he was like, right, okay, I've done that, let's sell. Didn't really build on that success. And you know, even when they reached the final two years ago, the owner then suning Stephen Zhang, they, they were in such financially straitened times that had they won two years ago, they would not have been able to build on this. Now they do have an opportunity now. They, they have a very solid financial footing with their, their owners oak trucks and you know, if, if they lose, they're going to be able to rejuvenate this team, invest in infrastructure. Yeah, they want to put a B team, an under 23 team in the third division to help bridge the gap between new team and first team football. Interview. Always had a really good academy. DiMarco, for example, who will be playing on Saturday night. Hometown kid joined into when he was six years old. Always supported Inter. That's. These are the stories that we really want to see, I think at Champions League the final. You know, people who've got a real sense of belonging, attachment to that club. And then again, I think this, this would be completing unfinished business for a group of players that have won everything else over the last five years and want to go that one step further than they did two years ago in Istanbul. Win the Champions League. Something that a great Juventus team over the last decade won nine league titles in a row, did the double five times, had a great defense, got to the Champions league final in 2015, 2017, but didn't win the Champions League. Of course, one of the teams that beat Juventus in Champions League final in Germany, Berlin was the Barcelona that was coached by Luis Enrique.

[Ayo Akimulere]

Yeah. And Tom Foot for look for PSG be in terms of this new approach. No more big global stars. Let's look at youth, let's look at people that want to play for the club. Let's look at good strategy. But also I guess the beginning of what Enrique is doing, the blossoming of a new philosophy for the club, winning the Champions League and telling Marseille as well that look, we are now champions of Europe. This could be a really pivotal moment.

[Tom Williams]

Oh, completely. I mean it would be the ultimate and most emphatic vindication of, you know, this new direction that the club had been moving in. And you know, it's been about three years since Nasser Al Khalifi started talking about the end of the bling bling era, bringing in young, hungry players. When he started talking like this, Messi and Neymar and Mbappe were all still there and you were thinking, I mean, this sounds great, but, you know, PSG is surely always going to be, be enthralled to these superstar players. And as it, as it turns out, you know, they've, they've followed through on what they, you know, what they said they were going to do and in doing so have, have given themselves a level of popularity and a level of respect that always proved beyond them during the superstar era. I mean, obviously it, it made them a global super club, you know, and kids have been buying PSG merch in, in phenomenal quantities over the last few years and that a lot of that was down to the fact that you had the superstars. But I think this current team with this coach is respected within football in a way that previous teams weren't. And you know, PSG as the team from the capital, as the team with the mega rich owners, you know, they've never been massively popular in France. And although, you know, people find it hard to say that they love PSG as a club in France, if they're not PSG fans, they find it much easier to say that they like this team, they like these players, they can see what the coach has been trying to do and it kind of feels like it's almost like a parable in a way. It's like, well, this, you know, this club wanted to win this trophy and they spent all this money and they bought all these superstar players and it didn't work. And then they tried, you know, doing something a little bit different and focusing on the team, and then it did work. That overlooks the amount of money that this team has cost to put in place because none of them came cheap. But nevertheless, that's the sentence it was at the moment when they decided to try and make themselves a team that they became more successful in terms of what it would mean for the club. The funny thing when you speak to people at PSG is that they say it's not an obsession winning the Champions League. It was for a while and that was bad and that did harm to the club. So it's not an obsession anymore. So if we win it this year, then fine, but you know, it is. The important thing is that we've got a new identity and, you know, people really like us and, you know, etc. Etc.

[Ayo Akimulere]

Nonsense, mate.

[Tom Williams]

I mean, what winning the Champions League would give PSG is the same thing that it gave Manchester City in 2023. It retrospectively justifies everything that's gone before. You know, clubs like City and PSG State owned huge resources, various scrapes with UEFA over financial fair play and near misses that people didn't fully understand at the time. All of that kind of gets pushed back when you're able to lift the Champions League and PSG have done so much to make themselves part of the furniture in European football. You know, you look at Nasser Al Khalefi, he's the president of the European Club association, he's on the UEFA Executive Committee. PSG took a stand against the Super League when so many other major European clubs were running towards it with caps doffed, looking for a big payout. So they've done an awful lot from a sort of diplomatic perspective to make themselves accepted. But you don't become true European football royalty, or you can't claim to be anywhere close to European football royalty until you win the Champions League. And City have done it and now PSG have got to do it. And I think that they are right when they say that, you know, what they are building does not stand or fall by Champions League success. If PSG lose tomorrow night, you know, we won't forget what fantastic team they are, how Luis Enrique has turned things around, this new identity. But if they win, then they've achieved the one thing that has proved beyond them ever since the Qataris took over in 2011.

[Ayo Akimulere]

Yeah, look, I can't call this one because both teams have been absolutely spectacular in this Champions League campaign. So James and also Tom, thank you so much for your time.

[Tom Williams]

You've been listening to the Athletic FC podcast. The producers were Guy Clark, Mike Stavroo and Jay Beale. The executive producer was Aidy Moorhead. To listen to other great athletic podcasts for free, search for the Athletic on Apple, Spotify and all the usual places. The Athletic FC podcast is an athletic media company production.

[James Horncastle]

The Athletic.

[Host 1]

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[Host 2]

When it's the NWSL season, I'm locked in. I'm streaming matches on prime video, breaking down plays in real time and queuing up hype tracks on Amazon Music. Amazon prime helps me stay ready, whether it's fast delivery for last minute watch party snacks or digging into behind the scenes content between games. For me, following the league isn't a hobby, it's a fun passion. Whatever you're into, it's on Prime. Visit Amazon.comprime to get more out of whatever you're into. Hi, I'm Raj Panjabi from HuffPost.

[Tom Williams]

And I'm Noah Michaelson, also from HuffPost.

[Host 2]

And we're the hosts of Am I Doing It Wrong? A new podcast that explores the all too human anxieties we have about trying to get our lives right.

[Raj Panjabi]

Each week on the podcast, Raj and.

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Through how to get it right.

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And we're talking like legit credible experts, doctors, PhDs all around.

[Tom Williams]

Superheroes from HuffPost and Acast Studios. Check out Am I Doing It Wrong? Wherever you get your podcasts.