European club football’s biggest prize is at stake between two teams that have keenly felt the pain of falling at the last hurdle in recent years.
Inter was a losing finalist against Manchester City in 2023 and PSG lost in its only final so far against Bayern Munich in 2020.
Supporters were gearing up for the evening game by making their way to the designated fan zones hours before kick-off. Many stopped en route to sample Munich’s gastronomy on a beautiful warm day in the Bavarian capital.
Near Odeonsplatz, where the Inter fans were to gather, many stopped at neighbouring Wittelsbacherplatz — a cobbled plaza flanked by stately buildings with a bronze statue of Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria, on a horse in the centre — where they sheltered from the sun under giant umbrellas and enjoyed lunch washed down by beers.
Police kept a watchful eye on a huge group of black-clad “ultras” who banged drums, sang and waved flags as they marched toward the fan zone. Other Inter supporters who wore t-shirts identifying themselves as hooligans cheered them on.
The PSG supporters were making their way to Königsplatz, another town square nearby.
According to local media, the German authorities are reckoning with around 500 violent fans from Milan and 150 from Paris and have dispatched more than 2000 police. Helicopters are watching the city and the area surrounding the venue, Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena, closely.
PSG hungry for first title, Inter chasing only silverware available this season
After spending billions and signing some of the sport’s greatest players like Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi, PSG is still waiting to win its first Champions League title. Those superstars have left, but coach Luis Enrique has assembled one of the most exciting squads in Europe, with the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia filling the void left by that trio.
Luis Enrique is aiming to win the competition for the second time as a coach, having lifted it with Barcelona in 2015, and would become the seventh coach to win the trophy with different teams.
“The motivation for me is to win the Champions League title for the first time for PSG,” he said. “That is the gift I want to give the people, the club, the city.”
Inter was looking for a treble just over a month ago, but is now left with the Champions League as its only possible trophy. It lost the Italian title by a point and was knocked out of the Italian Cup in the semifinals.
“These players in these four years did a lot — won a lot and lost sometimes. It happens. But we all gave our all, everyone. We are proud to be Inter,” coach Simone Inzaghi said. “I dreamed of playing the Champions League final. I didn’t do it as a player, but thanks to this group of players I’ve been in two finals as a head coach.”
Inter has won the Champions League or European Cup on three occasions, most recently in 2010.
The match at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena is scheduled to start at 21:00 CEST.
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