Simone Inzaghi stated that his team overcame “two of the best teams in Europe” to reach their 7th European Cup final.
Inter secured a dramatic 4-3 win against Barcelona in extra time, totaling 7-6 over two legs in the thrilling semi-finals. Inzaghi’s squad also eliminated Bayern Munich earlier in the quarters. While mindful of the challenges posed by Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal, he wanted to acknowledge the significance of their accomplishments so far.
“Both are strong teams with exceptional coaches and players we’re familiar with,” Inzaghi commented on the potential finalists. “The Champions League final, whether against Arsenal or PSG, promises to be fantastic.”
He added, “But Bayern Munich and Barcelona were probably the top teams in Europe this season. We should take pride in our performance. This was a tough match against a very high-caliber opponent.”
With the score at 3-2 during injury time, Francesco Aservi’s equalizer brought the game to extra time, where Davide Frattesi netted the decisive goal. Inzaghi shared, “Frattesi missed training yesterday due to pain, but he managed to play through it with medication,” reflecting on this being his second Champions League final at Inter after previously losing 1-0 to Manchester City in Istanbul.
He also noted the injury struggles his team faced leading up to the finals. “[Denzel] Dumfries, Lautaro [Martínez], [Marcus] Thuram, all have dealt with issues in recent weeks,” he mentioned. “Yes, we endured some challenges, but every final has its struggles.”
Barcelona’s coach Hansi Flick congratulated Inter on their triumph, expressing confidence that his team would emerge stronger from the experience. “Tonight, when they look in the mirror, they can be really proud,” he said. “We aim to win the Champions League next season.”
Lautaro Martinez, who scored the initial goal for Inter, shared his thoughts with Prime Video:
Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer was recognized as a standout performer following a key save against Barcelona. “I’m exceptionally proud of this team. We faced elimination but fought back. We left everything on the pitch,” Sommer stated post-match.
“We’re thrilled and looking forward to the final,” he continued. “Both PSG and Arsenal are formidable opponents, but for tonight, we’ll just relish this victory. Tomorrow, we’ll watch the final from the sofa and see what happens.”
