The stage is set at the Allianz Arena this Saturday for the 2025 UEFA Champions League Final, pitting Italian giants Inter Milan against French champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Kick-off is slated for 22:00 CET (20:00 GMT), with Romanian official Istvan Kovacs taking charge. He will be assisted by Mihai Marica and Ferencz Tunyogi, while Joao Pinheiro of Portugal will be the fourth official.
The VAR operations will be overseen by Dutch referee Dennis Higler.
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For Inter Milan’s midfield maestro Hakan Çalhanoğlu, this final represents a chance to etch his name into history.
The 30-year-old Turkish international is on the cusp of a groundbreaking achievement: if Inter emerge victorious, Çalhanoğlu would become only the second Turkish player ever to lift the Champions League trophy, following Arda Güler’s success with Real Madrid in 2024.
This also marks his second Champions League final appearance, having been part of the Inter side that narrowly lost to Manchester City 1-0 in Istanbul two years ago.
Furthermore, should he find the back of the net on Saturday, he would become the first Turkish player to score in a Champions League final.
Çalhanoğlu is enjoying a career-best season, demonstrating his prowess as a deep-lying playmaker under coach Simone Inzaghi.
He has contributed significantly to Inter’s success with 11 goals and 8 assists in 46 appearances across all competitions.
Notably, he has bagged four goals in the Champions League, including a crucial penalty in the semi-final clash against Barcelona.
Inter Milan’s journey to the final signifies a remarkable resurgence for the club. They navigated the new Champions League league stage format, finishing fourth with 19 points, before embarking on a formidable knockout run.
Their path to Munich saw them overcome Feyenoord, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona, showcasing their attacking prowess with 26 goals scored while conceding 11.
This will be Inter’s seventh appearance in a European Cup or Champions League final, having previously triumphed in 1964, 1965, and 2010. A win on Saturday would secure their fourth European title, drawing them level with illustrious clubs like Ajax and Barcelona.
On the other side of the pitch, Paris Saint-Germain are equally driven to claim European football’s ultimate prize. This marks only their second Champions League final, their previous attempt ending in a 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich in 2020.
Despite finishing 15th in the league stage with 13 points, Luis Enrique’s squad displayed immense resilience in the knockout rounds, narrowly overcoming Brest, triumphing over Liverpool in a dramatic penalty shootout, and then dispatching Aston Villa and Arsenal.
PSG have been prolific in front of goal, netting a tournament-best 33 goals, while conceding 13. With speculation rife about Kylian Mbappé’s potential departure this summer, this final could represent the last opportunity for PSG’s star-studded ensemble to conquer Europe together, marking a potential end of an era.
Remarkably, Saturday’s final will be the first official competitive encounter between Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.
Despite their respective domestic dominance and consistent European participation over the past decade, their paths have never converged in UEFA competition until now.
The match promises a fascinating tactical battle: Inter bringing their renowned cohesion, experience, and clear tactical blueprint under Inzaghi, while PSG will rely on their individual brilliance and potent attacking firepower. A victory for Inter would solidify their position among Europe’s modern elite, while for PSG, it would signify a historic maiden Champions League trophy.
Since its inception in 1955 as the European Cup and its rebranding as the UEFA Champions League in 1992, 23 different clubs have lifted the coveted trophy.
Should PSG emerge victorious, they would become the 24th club to claim the title and only the second French club to do so, following Olympique de Marseille in 1993.
For Inter, a win would elevate them further, placing them alongside Ajax and Barcelona in the pantheon of European football’s elite.
