Not since Benfica came from 3-2 down at half time against Real Madrid in the 1962 European Cup final had a team scored five in the continental showpiece. But that game had been a tense contest. The 70th final, at Munich’s Allianz Arena, was anything but, as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) steamrollered Internazionale of Milan 5-0. Such was the gulf in class between the two sides that it could easily have been more. Desire Doue scored twice, either side of half time, after Achraf Hakimi had set PSG on their way with a 12th minute opener. Further goals from the brilliant Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Senny Mayulu, a late substitute, were merely the icing on the cake.
Luis Enrique, who had won the trophy with Barcelona in 2015, became only the seventh coach – Ersnt Happel, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Jose Mourinho, Jupp Heynckes, Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola are the others – to lift it with two different sides. After the era of conspicuous spending and a rampant star culture, Enrique has brought about a complete reset at PSG. This is a team very much in his image, and Gianluigi Donnarumma screaming at his defenders for an uncharacteristic lapse when 4-0 up in the 80th minute summed up just how high the standards are.
From the kick-off, PSG kicked the ball out of play deep in Inter territory. It was quite a throwing down of the gauntlet, and for much of the first half hour, the PSG press induced mistake after mistake from the Italian side. The first goal was a delightful move that saw Kvaratskhelia find Vitinha in space at the top of the box. His threaded ball reached Doue, who then squared for Hakimi to tap home.
A lightning-fast counterattack eight minutes later saw Doue unleash a shot from an angle on the right side of the box. Once the ball clipped Federico Dimarco, Yann Sommer in the Inter goal had no chance.
Inter’s midfield trio of Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu and Henrikh Mkhitaryan were almost invisible, completely overrun by the power, dynamism and ease on the ball of Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha and Joao Neves. Inter’s only genuine chances to strike back came from corners that Francesco Acerbi and Marcus Thuram headed over.
When sloppiness started creeping into PSG’s play easily in the second half, Enrique barked his instructions and urged them to keep shape. And a glorious backheel from Ousmane Dembele put Vitinha through to release Doue for the most composed of finished past Sommer. Game over.
After being booked for his shirt-less celebrations, Doue was taken off, but Inter’s agony was far from over. Dembele, who switched positions all night, played Kvaratskhelia though with another super ball, and the finish at Sommer’s near post was perfection. When Mayulu, another 19-year-old in this outrageously talented young squad, crashed one in off the same post, the humiliation was complete. Having won just one of their first five Champions League games this season, PSG finished off with a five-star performance. Worthy champions who’ll take some stopping in the years to come.
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