Champions League final: Clear favourites emerge in PSG vs Inter Milan predictions

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN VS INTER MILAN: This season’s Champions League final takes place in Munich on Saturday and our writers have weighed in with their predictions for the biggest game in European football

So, it all comes down to this, the Champions League final. After a record 188 games in the competition’s new format, we’re potentially 90 minutes away from crowning the kings of Europe.

The road to Munich has been a marathon and the only two teams left coming towards the finish line are Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan. Both sides are fuelled by pain of losing a final in recent memory; one much-changed team and the other very much the second coming.

PSG no longer rely on the superstars who failed to fire them to glory in Lisbon five years ago, as Luis Enrique has reshaped them in his own image after bouncing back from the tragedy of his nine-year-old daughter’s death. Inter, meanwhile, haven’t had to change course, as this could be the defining moment of Simone Inzaghi’s trophy-laden tenure ahead of his potential farewell.

But who’ll lift the trophy at the Allianz Arena on Saturday? We asked Mirror Football’s writers for their predictions.

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John Cross

Paris Saint-Germain will win the Champions League. And my argument is simple: they are the best team I have seen in European competition this season. They have beaten Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa on the way to the final. Plus Manchester City in the league phase.

It’s not just because they are better than English opposition. Luis Enrique’s team have been exceptionally well organised, exciting in every department – from full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes to forwards Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – and brilliant in midfield, especially Vitinha.

This feels like, at long last, PSG’s time. Enrique has made it about the team. No more megastar names, a sense of togetherness and, after all the money spent, they look ready to deliver.

It would be crazy to write off Inter Milan as some sort of defensive threat. Did you see the semi-final with Barcelona? Inter boss Simone Inzaghi has also built a team rather than a squad of superstars. They have big game experience. And have been upsetting the odds all the way. But the romantic in me says PSG.

PSG 3-1 Inter Milan

Who’ll win the Champions League final – PSG or Inter Milan? Give us your score prediction in the comments section.

Neil McLeman

Like for Manchester City in 2023, this is finally Paris Saint-Germain’s time to win the Champions League after losing their first final. It took 15 years for the Abu Dhabi-owned club, bought in 2008, to finally win European football’s biggest club trophy after falling to Chelsea in 2021.

PSG, bought by Qatar in 2011, lost to Bayern Munich in the 2020 Covid final with a forward line of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Angel Di Maria. Lionel Messi joined the following year but the superstar team did not work. Current coach Luis Enrique has still been able to spend – PSG bought Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Napoli for €70million (£59m) in January – but he has built a young, hard-working team of future stars.

Ousmane Dembele has been outstanding while Gigio Donnaruma proved with his saves against Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa that he is the best keeper in the world. Inter Milan have more experience – and two excellent strikers in Lautaro Martinez and Marc Thuram – but PSG will prevail.

PSG 2-1 Inter Milan

Mike Walters

Everyone knows the biggest football match this weekend is Oldham and Southend’s National League play-off final at Wembley. If you want 5ft Christmas trees in the forest to grow into mighty Scots pines, you have to look after the saplings.

So no offence to Paris Saint-Germain or Internazionale, but their little tiff in Munich is on the undercard. Having said that, PSG beat all four English clubs on their crusade to the Champions League final.

They were too good for Manchester City, magnificent against Liverpool, clung on in a storm at Villa Park and clinical against Arsenal, a body of work which suggests they will at last land the finest holy grail money can buy.

Inter’s semi-final romps with Barcelona were spellbinding, and they will not come quietly in the court of Harry Kane. It’s as much a toss-up as the big one between Shrimpers and Latics, but I have a sneaking feeling that joie de vivre will just about pip la dolce vita and it’s PSG’s time to shine.

PSG 2-1 Inter Milan

Simon Mullock

It’s the Premier League killers against the team that refuses to die – and the 2025 Champions League final has all the ingredients to be a cracker. Paris Saint-Germain are the bookies’ favourites to become the 24th club to have their name engraved on the trophy with the big ears after beating Manchester City in the group stages and then eliminating Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal on the road to Munich.

The French champions have grown as a team since ditching the baggage carried by Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, yet still have individual brilliance in the guise of Ousman Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue. But it’s impossible to write off an Inter team bidding to become European champions for the fourth time after the way they came back from the dead to beat Barcelona in the game of this or any tournament in the semi-finals.

I’m taking the young pretenders to prevail over European royalty.

PSG 3-2 Inter Milan

Oli Gamp

I’m backing PSG to win their first ever Champions League title this weekend. It should be a very tight affair in Munich between two teams that weren’t picked by anyone to get to this stage.

But I can see PSG edging it to complete what has been a rollercoaster journey to winning Europe’s elite competition, the trophy they have craved since Qatar Sports Investments took over in 2011. After 14 years, the club could finally realise their dream – without superstars like Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in the side.

Luis Enrique has simplified things by giving his side balance – developing stars like Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue. Meanwhile, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is quickly becoming one of the world’s most exciting talents and Ousmane Dembele is flourishing too. They come into this game off the back of winning Ligue 1 and the French Cup and that momentum will be crucial.

Inter have won this competition three times and lost the final in 2023. They’re a top side and have done superbly to get here once again, but I think it will be PSG’s night.

PSG 1-0 Inter Milan

Tom Victor

With the exception of the odd half-hour spell here and there, Paris Saint-Germain have looked untouchable in the knockout stages of the Champions League. Even when they were beaten at home by Liverpool, they put in the kind of performance that would lead to victory nine times out of 10.

Inter Milan’s great strength in the early part of the competition came in defence, but this is something they’ll find it hard to replicate against an attack as stacked as that of their opponents. Their best bet might be embracing full chaos, as they did against Barcelona in the semis.

Ultimately, though, it’s hard to look past that PSG frontline. Ousmane Dembele has arguably been the standout player in the competition, and Champions League glory would feel deserved for someone who has embraced his status as the main man since Kylian Mbappe’s exit.

Inter should find a way to get on the scoresheet, but their opponents have the goods to keep coming at them for as long as they need to get the job done.

PSG 3-1 Inter Milan

Scott Trotter

Paris Saint-Germain have been the standout, most exciting attacking team in the competition… well if you ignore a certain semi-final between Inter Milan and Barcelona. The Serie A giants went from being stingy in defence to to offering more goalscoring drama than two legs can handle as they battled for a place in the final.

And despite some difficultis against Aston Villa, perhaps its the French side who have proven more resolute in their backline during the knockout stages. Regardless, quite the clash awaits. And the question is do you back a team of expensively assembled youth against a side that includes some players the Premier League had long ago written off?

Unfortunately, I don’t think a repeat of Inter’s clash against Barca awaits, but there should still be some brilliant football. Seeing how Simeone Inzaghi looks to counter the fluidity offered by PSG’s forwards and the space created to them will be fascinating.

But it might, finally, be PSG’s time.

PSG 2-1 Inter Milan

Daniel Orme

Inter Milan have been here before: un-fancied in a Champions League final. And they’ve actually ended up winning it. But it’s not quite been that way recently having lost their last two European finals. Of course, PSG have never managed to get the crown but it might potentially be their turn this season.

If the irresistible Ousmane Dembele is on top form, it’s really tricky seeing Inter Milan keeping him quiet. Of course, the Italians are more than capable of finding the net having been named top scorers in Serie A. But PSG have been the best side in the Champions League this season – and they should have enough to get over the line.

PSG 3-1 Inter Milan

Nathan Ridley

Reading through these predictions, we’ve got a clear favourite in the house: PSG. But while I understand every argument, I’m sticking to my guns and going Inter Milan.

I’ve backed Simone Inzaghi and Co. since the start of the competition and my confidence has grown at every stage. They’ve got the know-how, intelligence and quality from back to front to win the biggest matches, and if not for Romelu Lukaku’s blunders in Istanbul, they could’ve beaten Manchester City two years ago.

And while it feels like PSG’s year to many, don’t forget that the Nerazzurri also seem to believe that their name is on the trophy – and for good reason. Francesco Acerbi’s stoppage-time equaliser against Barcelona was the stuff of dreams and I think they’re in for another magical night in Munich, leaving PSG heartbroken once again.

PSG 0-1 Inter Milan

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