At the Allianz Arena on 31 May 2025, Paris Saint-Germain finally scaled Europe’s highest peak, crushing Inter Milan 5-0 in the most lopsided Champions League final ever and sealing the club’s first continental treble. The result rewrote the record books, elevated Luis Enrique into an elite managerial club, and signalled a tactical sea-change for a side once synonymous with superstar dependency.
Match Summary & Key Highlights
First-Half Flashpoint (0’-45’)
- 12′ — Achraf Hakimi 1-0: a sweeping Vitinha-Doué move pulled Inter’s back-five out of shape before Hakimi drilled low past Yann Sommer
- 20′ — Désiré Doué 2-0: Dembélé’s half-space run freed Doué, whose deflected finish doubled the lead and rattled Inzaghi’s game-plan.
Inter mustered just one shot in anger and looked unable to cope with PSG’s positional rotations.
Second-Half Rout (46’-90’)
- 63′ — Doué again: Vitinha’s vertical pass split the lines and the 19-year-old buried a left-footer to make it three.
- 73′ — Khvicha Kvaratskhelia 4-0: the Georgian cut inside Zalewski and curled into the far corner as PSG’s xG ballooned.
- 86′ — Senny Mayulu 5-0: the academy substitute pounced three minutes after entering, sealing the heaviest final victory in UCL history.
Inter finished with only two shots on target and an expected-goals figure below 0.35 — testament to PSG’s suffocating press.
Spotlight on Key Players
| Player | Impact | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Désiré Doué | 2 ⚽ + 1 🅰 | Youngest MOTM in a UCL final |
| Achraf Hakimi | 1 ⚽ | Constant high-width threat; nullified Dimarco defensively. |
| Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | 1 ⚽ | Late dribble-heavy surge iced the contest. |
| Gianluigi Donnarumma | 2 saves | Commanded area; maintained clean-sheet record through knockout rounds. |
| Marcus Thuram (Inter) | 1 SoT | Lone bright spark, but isolated |
| Federico Dimarco (Inter) | – | Overrun on Hakimi’s flank; subbed on 46′. |
Luis Enrique’s Campaign: From Doubt to Dominance
The Spaniard began the season inheriting an Mbappé-less squad and preached a “collective over celebrity” mantra. Early inconsistency — only two wins from the first five group games — forced a mid-season switch to an ultra-fluid 4-3-3/3-2-2-3 that maximised press-resistance via double 8s Vitinha and Fabián Ruiz. The tweak saw PSG win every knockout leg by at least two goals and complete the first French treble of the Champions-League era, making Enrique the second coach after Pep Guardiola to claim a treble with two different clubs.
Tactical Struggles Overcome
- High Defensive Line: September criticism centred on spacing behind the full-backs; Enrique responded by staggering Marquinhos and Škriniar, inviting controlled pressure before springing counters.
- Midfield Balance: The December injury to Warren Zaïre-Emery pushed João Neves deeper, unlocking Vitinha’s late-box runs that proved decisive en route to Munich.
Inter Milan’s Road-Map Under Simone Inzaghi
Inter looked resolute for most of the campaign, registering seven clean sheets up to the semi-finals. They edged a 13-goal epic versus Barcelona 7-6 on aggregate, with Nicolò Barella and Marcus Thuram pivotal in transition.Yet the ageing spine and a Serie A title race that went to the final day left legs weary — a vulnerability PSG exploited ruthlessly.
The 5-0 drubbing prompted Inzaghi’s post-match resignation and imminent move to Saudi side Al-Hilal, ending a four-year spell that yielded six domestic trophies.
Momentum Shifts & Data Lens
- Pressing Efficiency: PSG’s PPDA of 6.3 vs Inter’s 13.4 underscored their high-octane press.
- Verticality: Average sequence time dropped to 10.4 sec for PSG after the 60′ mark, mirroring Enrique’s late-game knockout trend
- Inter’s Decline: After conceding the second goal, their pass accuracy inside PSG’s half fell from 82 % to 71 %.
Post-Match Reaction & What Comes Next
Luis Enrique hailed the victory as “the triumph of system over stardom,” hinting at reinforcements for December’s Club World Cup in the U.S. PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi confirmed contract talks to extend Doué and Kvaratskhelia.Inter, meanwhile, face a summer of transition, with Cesc Fàbregas and Roberto De Zerbi linked to the vacant bench
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