Paris St Germain sweep aside Inter Milan to win Champions League

PA Sport Staff

Paris St Germain were crowned kings of Europe for the first time with a thumping 5-0 Champions League final victory over Inter Milan in Munich.

Achraf Hakimi and Desire Doue struck inside the opening 20 minutes to reward a dominant start as PSG became only the second French side to win the trophy after Marseille in 1993.

Doue set up Hakimi’s opener and became the third teenager to score in a Champions League final – three days ahead of his 20th birthday – before dispatching a clinical second after 63 minutes.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia added another from Ousmane Dembele’s pass 10 minutes later as Inter capitulated.

Substitute Senny Mayulu smashed ahome fifth four minutes from time as PSG claimed the biggest margin of victory in a Champions League final.

Inter had knocked out Bayern Munich and Barcelona during a memorable passage to the final but they were no match for slick opponents, who completed a treble after winning the league and cup in France.

In doing so, Luis Enrique – who won the Champions League in 2015 with Barcelona – became the seventh manager to win the trophy with two different clubs.

This was the first ever competitive meeting between the two club and there was a marked difference in the average age of the sides – Inter’s experience against PSG’s youth – and their respective histories in the tournament.

PSG were making only their second final appearance having lost to Bayern Munich five years ago as three-time winners Inter appeared in European club football’s showpiece occasion for the seventh time.

Jose Mourinho had led Inter to Champions League glory in 2010, but the Nerazzurri’s recent final memories were losing to Manchester City two years ago.

There were seven survivors from that beaten line-up with Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni, Denzel Dumfries, Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, Federico Dimarco and Lautaro Martinez among Simeone Inzhagi’s starters.

Inter started as underdogs and had little answer to PSG’s bite straight from the opening exchanges.

Doue and Dembele sent warning shots across Inter’s bow before the Parisians grabbed a 12th-minute lead.

Vitinha found Doue unmarked inside the Inter area and his unselfish pass allowed Hakimi to punish his former club with the simplest of tap-ins from six yards.

Dimarco was at fault for the opener as the left-back had dropped too deep to leave Doue onside, and it quickly got worse for the Italy international.

Willian Pacho prevented an Inter corner with an excellent intervention and PSG broke at speed through Kvaratskhelia and Dembele.

Doue was granted space from Dembele’s intelligent switch of play, and Sommer was stranded as Dimarco turned his back to allow a costly deflection.

Inter had good chances from Çalhanoglu’s corners, Acerbi and Marcus Thuram both heading wide, but PSG threatened to cause further damage in open play.

Sommer clung on to a Fabian Ruiz effort and was grateful for Dembele failing to profit from a tight angle as Doue shone again.

Kvaratskhelia headed over on the stroke of half-time and the Georgian winger had two more presentable chances after the break.

Inzaghi was booked as his touchline frustration grew and PSG sealed matters with a third goal right from the top drawl.

Dembele’s cute back heel near halfway released Vitinha and his perfectly weighted pass was met with an equally fine finish from Doue, who slotted home inside the near post from just inside the area.

Inter’s misery was completed as Bradley Barcola and Mayulu combined to underline a PSG masterclass that will send shock waves across Europe.