The 2024–25 UEFA Champions League final between Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain will go down as one of the most lopsided results in tournament history. Following the shocking 5–0 defeat, Inter captain Lautaro Martinez admitted he went nearly a week without speaking as he processed the loss.
Inter reached the final with hopes of salvaging a season without silverware, but instead ran into a relentless PSG side that overwhelmed the Italian giants. With the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 now on the horizon, Lautaro knows the team must quickly regroup.
Speaking to Italian media on Tuesday, the Argentine striker opened up: “I was sad; it was hard for me to understand the reasons. It took me five or six days before I could speak; I wanted to explain it to my team. That night, nothing was possible for us, and they did everything right. We weren’t ourselves, we weren’t a team. That’s football. Now we have to move on, there’s no other option, even though it will always stay in my head.”
On the devastating nature of the loss, he added: “I can’t understand how we let such a huge opportunity slip away. I spoke to my teammates. I asked them to stay mentally strong, I told them we needed one last push before going on vacation, one final stretch to continue growing.”
The final capped a difficult run for Inter, who had already come up short in the Supercoppa Italiana, Coppa Italia semifinals, and on the final matchday of Serie A against Napoli. The Champions League final became the ultimate blow in a season full of missed chances, and Lautaro has taken it personally.
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Inter suffered another major change ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup, with manager Simone Inzaghi departing for Saudi side Al Hilal. Former club defender Cristian Chivu stepped in on short notice to lead the team into the tournament.
Still, Lautaro remains locked in: “I regret not being able to lift a trophy this season. But looking back, I can’t say it was a negative year. That should motivate us to start again with the same hunger as always. We are Inter, a mature team. We want to give everything we have at this Club World Cup. And I want to put all my energy into helping the team. There’s no turning back now.”
Inter will open Group E play on Tuesday against Monterrey, followed by Urawa Red Diamonds and River Plate. As favorites to top the group, Lautaro is focused on avoiding surprises as Inter chase international redemption.
