UEFA Champions League finals 2024-25: Key battles to watch out for

Paris St Germain is all set to take on Inter Milan on Saturday (31st May) to win their first-ever Champions League title. The club has come close several times and even went to the finals in 2020, only to lose to Bayern Munich by a goal. Luis Enrique has marshaled the troops from the sidelines to reach the finale. On the other hand, Inter Milan are in the second finals in three years and will look to claim their hands on the biggest trophy after facing disappointment two seasons ago. While the competition is set to live up to the billing, three key battles could decide the outcome of the competition. 

UEFA Champions League finals 2024/25: Key battles to watch out for:

1) Denzel Dumfries vs Khvicha Kvaratskhelia 

The competition between a wingback and a winger will be a treat to watch in the finals. The Dutchman has played a great role in the Champions League for Inter, including the previous game against Barcelona across two legs. He had 3 G/A in the two games. Whereas, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has added an additional dimension to Paris St Germain’s attack in the post-Mbappe eta. Against Arsenal, he played a pivotal role in destroying the opposition fullbacks, keeping them at bay. 

Denzel Dumfries' attacking outputs are similarly matched by Khvicha’s defensive contributions, as seen in their respective previous game. It remains interesting to see the approach of both players at Allianz Arena. 

2) Nico Barella vs Vitinha 

The game is played between the best attack vs best defense but, then it is also the Battle of the Midfield. Nico Barella has driven the charge in the midfield for Inter Milan whereas Vitinha has been the central block in the engine room for the French outfit. 

Both players never get profiled into any category but are known for dictating the tempo. Vitinha dictated the terms in the midfield against Aston Villa and Liverpool to march into the further rounds. On the other hand, Barella not only dictated the game but also broke the defense with his line-breaking passes, setting up an exciting game in the midfield when both faced each other on Saturday. 

3) Ousmane Dembélé vs. Francesco Acerbi

Ousmane Dembele’s Ballon d’Or charge is dependent on the finals of the tournament after him raking in 21 goals in the tournament whereas in the Champions League, he has 12 goal contributions. Despite this, his Ballon d’Or is dependent on his performance against Inter Milan and especially against Acerbi. 

On the other hand, without Acerbi, Inter Milan would not have been in the finals. He scored the equalizer in the second leg against Barcelona to force the game into extra time. He has faced a string of in-form attackers like Raphinha, Rober Lewandowski, and Yamal. He would now look to close down Dembele and Thuram to help the side.