Lautaro Martinez: ‘Inter felt helpless after 5-0 Champions League Final defeat’

Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez admitted in an interview with France Football that he was deeply traumatized by his team's 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League Final, stating he couldn't speak for five days afterward due to feelings of helplessness, distress, and sadness.

The loss marked Inter's second Champions League Final appearance in three years, but unlike their narrow 1-0 defeat to Manchester City in 2023, this match was a crushing blow that capped off a disastrous season where the club ended up empty-handed, leading to coach Simone Inzaghi's departure to Al-Hilal.

Martinez, who was nominated for the Ballon d'Or, reflected on reaching two finals in three years but always falling short of winning the trophy, emphasizing that the team felt unprepared and unable to execute their plans against PSG, which left them feeling particularly frustrated and annoyed.

He highlighted the unexpected nature of the capitulation, especially after Inter's hard-fought 7-6 aggregate victory over Barcelona in the semi-finals, which involved extra time, and noted that despite preparing calmly and confidently, they couldn't translate their work onto the pitch.

Paris Saint-Germain, with Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal, won their first Champions League title and completed a quadruple of trophies, with Martinez acknowledging that PSG deserved the result for playing a great final.