Lautaro Martinez makes final message to Inter ahead of Champions League final against PSG

Lautaro Martinez is set to be one of the key players to watch in the 2024–25 UEFA Champions League final between Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain. With his sights set on capturing his first UCL title, the Argentine striker delivered a heartfelt message to Inter just a day before the decisive match.

Inter last reached the Champions League final in 2022–23, falling short in a narrow 1–0 defeat to Manchester City. Now wearing the captain’s armband, Martinez is eager to lead his team to glory. In a conversation with ESPN Argentina, the striker shared his thoughts and emotions ahead of the showdown.

“I’m very proud to be playing in my second final in the last three years with this great club, which welcomed me in an incredible way from the moment I arrived in Italy. The fans love me a lot, and I’m very grateful for that. I try to show it on the pitch. Now we have another chance to play in this final and fight for this goal.”

Martinez also delivered a powerful message to his teammates and supporters. “We’re going to give everything—we’ll try to play a perfect match to bring this trophy back to Milan—which we’ve been waiting for over the past 15 years. Hopefully we can play a perfect game and achieve our objective,” he stated.

The Argentine forward noted similarities between PSG’s playing style and that of both Barcelona and Bayern Munich. With the trophy on the line, he expects a high-stakes battle where both teams will go all out. The final is set to kick off at 3 p.m. ET, and Martinez says he’s mentally ready for the challenge.

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Lautaro, completely fit for the final vs. PSG

Inter fans held their breath during the Champions League semifinals when Martinez exited the first leg against Barcelona at halftime with a muscle injury. While the initial setback caused concern, he returned for the second leg, scored a key goal, and logged 71 minutes on the pitch.

Speaking the day before the final, Martínez provided a reassuring update on his condition: “I’m doing well today. In the last league match against Como, I could have played and logged some minutes, but it was a group decision—between the medical staff and the coaching staff—to wait a little longer. But today I’m 100%, fully recovered.”

After Inter clinched their spot in the final, Martinez admitted that he cried following the injury, fearing he might miss the crucial stages. He pushed through recovery and returned just in time to help his team reach the finish line.

“Against Barcelona, I had a muscle issue. Thankfully, scans showed there was no tear, just a strain. The first two days were very painful—my leg hurt a lot—but I still played. I tried to recover as quickly and as well as possible. We did it, and the important thing is that we made it to the final. Now we’ll play this last game to go after our goal,” the World Cup champion concluded.