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Inzaghi: Concentration not obsession needed in Champions League final
Inter face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final, with Simone Inzaghi hoping to lead the club to another European conquest.
Simone Inzaghi warned his Inter players against letting determination become an obsession against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final on Saturday.
Inter take on Luis Enrique's team at the Allianz Arena, competing in their seventh European Cup/UEFA Champions League final, and out for a fourth trophy.
Inter won the competition in 1964, 1965 and 2010, but they did lose their last showpiece match, going down 1-0 against Manchester City in 2023.
Inzaghi's side ended their domestic season without a trophy, finishing second in Serie A to Napoli, while also being dumped out of the Coppa Italia.
They were also beaten in the final of the Supercoppa Italiana by rivals AC Milan, though Inzaghi insisted full focus was on this weekend's clash in Munich.
Inzaghi stated that his players are desperate to avenge their defeat in Istanbul two years ago, but they will not let their resolve turn into a fixation ahead of facing PSG.
"I have seen determination and not the obsession that shouldn't be there," Inzaghi told reporters.
"Instead, there should be the right concentration and determination, and this is what the guys have shown me in these days.
"I asked during the week for concentration and determination, but not obsession. We must be free, free of mind in preparing in the best possible way."
Inter have impressed in this season's competition, scoring 26 goals, their joint most ever in a major European season, also scoring 26 in 2002-03.
They have also trailed for just 1.2% of their Champions League matches this season, falling behind in three games but never for more than 370 seconds in any of them.
Only Atletico Madrid (43.5%) have handed a higher share of minutes to players aged 30+ in the Champions League this season than Inter (43.3%), whose 6,151 minutes by players aged 30+ is the most by a team since Juventus in 2016-17 (6,186).
And Inzaghi believes that his squad have enough experience to execute their plan on Saturday and put behind the disappointment of losing their Serie A crown.
"The psychological side is important, we worked in the best way, leaving aside the disappointment," Inzaghi said.
"We know how certain matches are prepared, we have world champions, we have European champions.
"We have also gained experience on how to reach the Champions League final, which is an important match, just like a World Cup final, a European Championship final."
Inzaghi will also go into the clash with his whole squad available, confirming Benjamin Pavard is fit having missed their semi-final victory over Barcelona.
"The guys are all available and this year, out of 59 matches, in just three games, we have had all 23 available," Inzaghi said. "It gives a coach great confidence.
"Having everyone available is better than anyone could ask for, because you know you can count on all the players, players that I am proud to coach."
Inzaghi was asked what his team needs more than anything else in order to defeat Luis Enrique's PSG, a side which has won every trophy they have competed for so far this season.
"Aggressiveness, clarity, there could be many more because to play a match like this, to win, to win such an important match, it will take everything," Inzaghi said.
"It will take everything, along with all the details that we are trying to take care of in the best possible way, knowing that in front of us we have a great team that has deserved the final, like Inter, which has incredible strength and a great coach."