A match that has never happened before: Inter and PSG ensure an almost impossible Champions League final

At the end of May, Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain will meet in the Champions League final in Munich. It's a unique encounter: because it's the first, because it's being played at FC Bayern's stadium, and because some of the players who have been there for the past 20 years are missing.

Looking at the statistics, it's somewhat surprising that Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain have never met in a competitive match. The Italians can look back on more than 50 participations and well over 400 matches in UEFA competitions in their long history, while the French are competing in their 33rd European Cup this season, having played more than 270 matches. Despite this, they have never met head-to-head in all these years. So, Munich will be the venue for this first encounter when the Champions League final kicks off there on the evening of May 31st.

To get the big "yes, but" out of the way right away: Yes, a search of the numerous football databases reveals two friendly matches between Inter and PSG. But that's why the word "competitive match" appears in the first sentence of this text. Because it will be the first meeting between the teams where something is at stake. And then it's for the most important title in Europe.

Incidentally, in the test matches, the traditional club from northern Italy, now owned by an American investment company, prevailed against the mega-project from the French capital, fueled by billions of Qatari funds. Even fans of Inter and PSG are unlikely to have much memory of those duels in the summers of 2019 and 2023, while the final in Munich will inevitably make football history. After all, it is one of the pinnacles of world sport.

Inter, PSG and the close bond with FC Bayern

For Inter, it's all about taking the final step after their memorable semifinal against FC Barcelona and winning UEFA's top competition for the first time since 2010. Coach Simone Inzaghi's team reached the final two years ago, but lost to Manchester City. The host city of Munich should give the Milanese a boost: In the quarterfinals, they eliminated FC Bayern, who also lost to them in the final of their last Champions League triumph in 2010.

PSG also has a close connection to Munich, but unlike Inter, it's not such a positive one. In the group stage, Paris hosted FC Bayern, but lost to the German record champions for the third time in a row without scoring a goal. The same thing happened in Lisbon in the summer of 2020, when PSG reached the Champions League final for the first time – and then had to congratulate FC Bayern on the title in front of empty stands. Kingsley Coman scored the only goal of the evening for Munich.

As if all that weren't special enough, there are even more facts, figures, and numbers that make this first-ever duel something special: For the first time since the 2003/04 season, a final will take place without Spanish, English, or German participation. Back then, FC Porto and AS Monaco met in a completely unexpected encounter at the Arena Auf Schalke. In a showdown between two future super coaches, the Portuguese, led by José Mourinho, prevailed against the team from the principality, on whose sidelines Didier Deschamps searched in vain for a path to victory.

Since then, at least one team from Spain, England, or Germany has reached the Champions League final 20 times in a row. Six of these finals have even featured teams from the same country: Real Madrid defeated their La Liga and city rivals Atlético twice; Bayern Munich defeated Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund; Manchester United (against Chelsea); Liverpool (against Tottenham Hotspur) and Chelsea (against Manchester City) prevailed in the Premier League duels.

These are, of course, just a few of the stories that help us understand and imagine this seemingly impossible final. The first competitive match, the venue in Munich, and host FC Bayern, a match unlike any we've seen in 20 years. These are glimpses of the bigger picture, which has so much more to offer. After all, that's the beauty of football and certainly one of the main reasons it fascinates so many people time and time again: that it functions as a complete narrative that extends far beyond the 90 to 120 minutes on the pitch.