Written by Han Bing Paris and Milan are the two pillars of fashion in the world. However, the football teams of Paris and Milan in Munich are not just about showing the familiar cultural impression – two teams worthy of the name of the final are competing for the supreme trophy of European football. Sadly, Inter Milan, who were only 16 minutes behind in this season's Champions League before the final, suffered the biggest humiliation in 69 years of European history in Munich – their worst record in 469 European games since their first appearance in the International Fairs Cup in May 1956 was 1-5 (defeat at home to Arsenal in the 2003 Champions League group stage).

But this time, the Nerazzurri suffered an unprecedented defeat both on and off the pitch. Sport lamented that this was the darkest moment in Inter's European competition. Even if Paris were a little more able to take advantage of their chances, Inter could double the number of goals they conceded. The tenacious and sharp Nerazzurri before the final suddenly disappeared, and even though Inzaghi made four substitutions in five defensive positions in the second half, it was still impossible to prevent the heavy defeat. Inter Milan, whose average starting age is five years older than Paris, looks extremely lifeless in the face of the vigorous vitality of the French team.

If this final is an era that Paris wins, Inter Milan loses is also an era.

Chaos before war, "people are poor and short-minded"?

After the game, the scandal between Inzaghi Jr. and Riyadh Crescent before the game greatly affected the team's mentality. There are many precedents of such high-profile interference from off-field events before the tournament, which leads to turmoil and lack of morale, but it seems that neither Inter nor Inzaghi Jr. realised how serious it was. Inter Milan have the highest average age in their starting line-up in the Champions League this season, but they look more inexperienced than their younger opponents and make an eye-popping number of mistakes. Inter overemphasized the value of so-called defensive mysticism, physicality and experience, and they were doomed to collapse from the start.

But in fact, Inter's vaunted defense before the final was helpless in front of Paris, which was more tactically targeted and technically capable. The Nerazzurri have scored as many as 114 goals this season, including 11 against Bayern Munich and Barcelona. After Inter Milan's narrow 1-0 defeat to Manchester City in Istanbul two years ago, Pep Guardiola firmly told Inzaghi that his side would soon be in the final again. The Champions League winners saw the essence behind the score and knew that Inter Milan was the better team.

Unfortunately, time has changed, and Inter in Munich can't even do Italy's chain defense. Joao Neves, Ruiz and Vitinha were the "new ceremonial midfielders" of Paris, while Inter were completely passive in terms of effective possession, deciding the outcome of the game early. Inter's first shot came even late as the 75th minute, when Paris were already 3-0 up. Who will remember the 4-3 win over Barcelona? Lautaro, who had high hopes before the game, even had zero shots on goal, and the legend hugged him after the game to comfort him, but of course it did nothing. Thuram Jr.'s legendary father and younger brother were in the stands, but what they saw was a disaster.

For Inter, who were hoping to win the title again after 15 years, the final showed them a huge gap between them and Europe's top teams. Lautaro and Thuram Jr. conceded 23 times together, only touched the ball 72 times in the game, and had two shots on goal (both Thuram Jr.). After the game, the lost Inzaghi said gloomily that he didn't know where the future would go. Talks with Inter's top brass on Monday or Tuesday will determine his future.

All the executives of Oaktree Group, the American owner of Inter, witnessed the whole process of the team's "humiliation" by Paris at the Allianz Stadium. It was a total failure from mentality, physicality, technique and tactics to on-the-spot adaptation, and it turned out that the team could not win by experience alone. What awaits Inter will be a complete rebuild, but it remains to be seen whether Inzaghi Jr. will preside over the rebuild.

The ultimate duel between the two modes

Reaching the Champions League final puts Inter on track to earn a record €500 million or even €520 million this season. Last season, Inter's revenue was just close to 400 million. This is even the highest ever income in the entire Serie A season, before Ronaldo's Juventus (464 million) in 2018/19. Inter will achieve an after-tax profit of 20 million to 25 million euros, which is undoubtedly a huge improvement for the club's management, after all, Inter also lost 246 million euros in the 2020/21 season.

Last season, Inter's revenue was only half that of Paris, and the total first-team salary (227 million euros) was only one-third. The average age difference in the starting lineup is as much as five years, and the difference is actually reflected in the operation of the ball market. Since the 2021/22 season, Paris has invested 932.4 million euros, 3.63 times that of Inter Milan (256.9 million). The profit from the sale of players was 413.6 million euros, with a net investment of 518.9 million. Inter Milan received 372.3 million from the sale of players, but the market made a net profit of 115.4 million, and the gap between the net investment of the two teams in the past four seasons reached 634.3 million euros. The big Paris squad that entered the Allianz Arena in Munich invested 688 million euros in transfer fees, and Inter Milan only invested 245 million.

Compared with the high input and high output of Grand Paris, Inter Milan is the other extreme. For years, the capital behind Inter Milan has been prioritising the reduction of losses. Prudent financial control costs, profits are almost entirely derived from on-site broadcast fees, prize money and matchday revenue. Inter's commercial revenue has increased by 30% this season, and the advertising on their chests has reached an unprecedented 30 million euros. But compared to the 70 million in Greater Paris (Qatar Airways), the gap is far away. Last season, the sponsorship income of Grand Paris was as high as 282 million euros, and 40 million came from the sale of peripheral products, and the total income of Inter Milan was only 133.6 million.

With Oaktree Capital's sights on the club's balance sheet, Inter were destined to challenge for the Champions League trophy in unconventional ways. Reaching the Champions League final twice in three years is actually the ceiling for the potential of this group of veterans. Three years ago, Pep Guardiola consoled Inzaghi Jr., asserting that the Inter side would soon reach the Champions League final again. Whether it is the sympathy and comfort of the winner's opponent, Manchester City's tactician master sees through the essence of the game and does think that Inter Milan is slightly superior, and Inzaghi Jr. has indeed done it with this veteran team. But it is only the same ceiling, this time against the younger, more technical and more efficient on the ball, Inter's vulnerability is actually the inevitable result of the main framework, especially the defensive line, which is three years older.