What once seemed like a season full of promise for Inter Milan now rests on one final, defining moment: a Champions League showdown against Paris St Germain in Munich on Saturday. For Simone Inzaghi’s battle-tested squad, this feels like a last-chance saloon — both to salvage the season and to achieve European glory.
Still nursing the wounds from a failed Serie A title defence, Inter are also out to avenge their 2023 Champions League final defeat to Manchester City in Istanbul. For many of the club’s senior players, this could be their final opportunity to lift club football’s most prestigious trophy.
Inzaghi admitted the toll the season has taken, especially after his side lost the Scudetto to Napoli on the final day.
“The championship just concluded left us with something to remember,” he told reporters. “There is a lot of suffering in myself and in the players — it’s pointless denying it.”
Just weeks ago, Inter’s treble ambitions were alive. The team was strong in Europe, closing the Serie A gap, and into the Coppa Italia semi-finals. But a disastrous run in April — including a 3-0 Cup defeat to rivals AC Milan and back-to-back league losses — saw those hopes unravel.
Despite domestic setbacks, Inter’s Champions League run has been exceptional. They emerged from the group stage with the best defensive record in the tournament, conceding just once in eight matches. While their knockout games have been more chaotic, they’ve shown resilience and grit.
Their semi-final against Barcelona was a thrilling 7-6 aggregate triumph, capped by veteran defender Francesco Acerbi’s stoppage-time equalizer and Davide Frattesi’s winner in extra time — Acerbi’s first-ever European goal and a moment of redemption after last year’s final heartbreak.
In contrast to PSG’s youthful energy, Inter bring seasoned experience. Players like Yann Sommer, Matteo Darmian, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Stefan de Vrij, Hakan Calhanoglu, Piotr Zielinski, Marko Arnautovic, and Mehdi Taremi are all over 30 — and hungry for a crowning achievement.
Inzaghi will hope that this wealth of experience, combined with the pain of past near-misses and this season’s disappointments, will inspire his team to seize their moment. A Champions League title could not only redeem their season — it could cement the legacy of a golden generation.
