Two Belgian men have claimed they hid in a toilet at Munich’s Allianz Arena for 27 hours in order to watch last weekend’s Champions League final for free.
Neal Remmerie and Senne Haverbeke told Belgian broadcaster VRT News they managed to get into the ground the day before the match then emerged to watch Paris St-Germain’s 5-0 win over Inter Milan.
The pair uploaded a video, external on the social media platform TikTok which showed them sticking a homemade ‘out of order’ sign on two toilet cubicle doors before they waited in silence for more than a day as stadium staff used the facility.
“We had a backpack with snacks and we played around on our phones to kill time,” Remmerie said.
“The lights were on all the time and the sitting position was uncomfortable, so sleeping was almost impossible. That made it physically and mentally difficult.”
As soon as the duo heard fans using the toilets on matchday they emerged from the hiding place and made it past another ticket check before taking a seat in a stand.
“We looked carefully at which security guard was paying the least attention. While on the phone and with food in our hands, we just walked on, and suddenly we were inside,” Remmerie added.
“PSG won 5-0 and we were also in the supporters’ section of the winning team. It was the most beautiful football match we have ever seen.”
BBC Sport has approached the Allianz Arena and Uefa for comment.
Some 491 were arrested in Paris during post-match celebrations after Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League win.
Two people died and hundreds were arrested in France overnight as football fans celebrated Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) stunning UEFA Champions League final victory, the Ministry of the Interior said.
The epicentre of the euphoria was in Paris, which was a theatre of car horns, cheers, singing in the streets and fireworks throughout the night following PSG’s 5-0 triumph over Inter Milan in Munich.
The Interior Ministry said on Sunday that 491 people were arrested in the capital after crowds converged on the Champs-Elysees avenue and clashes broke out with officers.
Across France, a total of 559 people were arrested, it added.
The authorities reported two deaths amid celebrations. A man riding a scooter in Paris died after being hit by a car in the city’s southern 15th arrondissement, located about 2km (1.2 miles) from the Champs-Elysees.
In the southwestern town of Dax, a 17-year-old was fatally stabbed at a gathering feting the PSG victory, prosecutors said. His death occurred shortly after the match and “during the celebrations”, but the prosecutor’s office said it did not know whether it was related to the Champions League final. It added that the perpetrator was “on the run”.
The PSG team were to hold a victory parade on the Champs-Elysees on Sunday, with tens of thousands of supporters expected to gather to catch a glimpse of their returning heroes.
Paris Saint-Germain supporters hold flares on a street in Paris, early on June 1, 2025, following their team’s 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League final in Munich, Germany [Lou Benoist/AFP]
Overnight celebrations turn to violence
Overnight, though, AFP journalists saw police on the famed thoroughfare using water cannon to stop a crowd reaching the Arc de Triomphe that sits at the top of the Champs-Elysees.
“Troublemakers on the Champs-Elysees were looking to create incidents and repeatedly came into contact with police by throwing large fireworks and other objects,” police said in a statement.
Elsewhere, police said a car careered into fans celebrating PSG’s win in Grenoble in southeastern France, leaving four people injured, two of them seriously. All of those hurt were from the same family, police said.
The driver handed himself in to the police and was placed under arrest. A source close to the investigation said it was believed the driver had not acted intentionally.
The public prosecutor’s office said the driver had tested negative for alcohol and drugs.
The majority of fans celebrated peacefully, but police in Paris said scuffles broke out near the Champs-Elysees avenue, and around PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium, where 48,000 people had watched the 5-0 win on giant screens.
Most of those arrested in the capital were suspected of illegally possessing fireworks and causing disorder, police said.
The PSG victory meant the club won the biggest prize in European club football for the first time in their history.
PSG supporter Clement, 20, said: “It’s so good and so deserved! We have a song that talks about our struggles, and it hasn’t always been easy.
“But we got our faith back this year with a team without stars. They’re 11 guys who play for each other.”
French President Emmanuel Macron’s office said he would host the victorious players on Sunday to congratulate them.
In a message on X, Macron hailed a “day of glory for PSG”.
A total of 11.5 million people tuned in across France to watch the match, according to figures given by the Mediametrie audience-measurement company and one of the broadcasters, Canal+.
Anti-riot police detain a person on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris, on May 31, 2025, as PSG supporters celebrate [Lou Benoist/AFP]
The forward made a claim of £46.5million against his former club, believing he was owed a signing bonus, his final three months’ salary and an “ethical” payment.
Nedum Onuoha and Nicky Bandini praise the maturity shown by Desire Doue as the 19-year-old becomes the youngest player to score two goals in a Champions League final as Paris Saint-Germain defeat Inter Milan 5-0 at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
Thomas Hitzelsperger and Nicky Bandini praise the work-rate of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia who acts as the “first line of defence” for Paris Saint-Germain as the French champions beat Inter Milan 5-0 in the UEFA Champions League final at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
Luis Enrique wept tears of joy and emotion as Paris St-Germain delivered the performance of a lifetime to win the Champions League for the first time on a remarkable night in Munich.
And, as PSG outclassed Inter Milan for a historic 5-0 victory, brilliant teenager Desire Doue confirmed his status as one half of a new duo of young superstars – alongside Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal – who have the genius to dominate the game for years to come.
The poignant human story was PSG coach Luis Enrique, who became only the sixth coach to win this tournament with two different clubs after his triumph with Barcelona in 2015.
The sporting story was one of the finest team displays in the history of this tournament, in this and its previous guise of the European Cup, with generational teenage talent Doue as its centrepiece.
On the most important night of a career, Doue made the biggest stage in European club football his playground.
This was also a win heavy with significance and meaning for 55-year-old Asturian Luis Enrique, beyond the glory of the brutal beauty of this PSG triumph that finally brought the giant Champions League trophy to The City Of Light.
The man who has transformed PSG has spoken about how he helped his daughter Xana plant a Barcelona flag in the centre circle after that 2015 triumph over Juventus in Berlin.
He said he hoped he might make the same gesture here in her memory after she died from a rare form of bone cancer aged nine in 2019.
In the afterglow of victory, he pulled on a t-shirt bearing an image of himself and his daughter planting a PSG flag.
And then, in a moment of raw emotion, PSG’s “Ultras” unfurled their own tribute – a giant flag emblazoned with an image of father and daughter, in the French club’s shirt, planting a flag.
It was a wonderful gesture on a joyful night for PSG in Munich, when all their agonies as they chased the Champions League were washed away in one of the greatest displays any team has produced in a European final.
“I’m very happy. It was very emotional at the end with the banner from the fans for my family. But I always think about my daughter,” said Luis Enrique.
“Since day one, I said I wanted to win important trophies, and Paris had never won the Champions League. We did it for the first time. It’s a great feeling to make many people happy.”
Following their Champions League final win over Inter Milan the Paris St-Germain fans unveil a tifo paying tribute to manager Luis Enrique’s daughter Xana, who passed away at the age of nine.
Paris Saint-Germain beat Inter Milan 5-0 – a record in the Champions League final – to be crowned kings of European football in Munich.
Paris Saint-Germain are the champions of Europe after beating Inter Milan by a record 5-0 score line in the Champions League final.
At long last, the club that was transformed by Qatari billions, and bought and sold a succession of the world’s greatest players in an extravagant bid to get to the top, has its hands on the big one.
It was not only PSG’s first triumph in the final of European club football’s grandest prize, but the winning margin in the match in Munich is also a record for the competition’s final.
The trophy that not even Lionel Messi, Neymar or Kylian Mbappe could deliver to the French club was finally claimed by Luis Enrique, the Spanish coach who has overseen PSG’s shift from the era of galactico signings to one of genuine team-building.
Fitting then, that Desire Doue, the 19-year-old French forward emblematic of the club’s new generation, was the chief inspiration on a balmy night. He became the third teenager to score in a Champions League final, following Patrick Kluivert and Carlos Alberto.
Doue scored twice and set up another goal in little more than an hour on the field, before being substituted in the second half.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Desire Doue scores their third goal [Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters]
Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and substitute Senny Mayulu, the fourth teenager to score in a final added to Doue’s double as PSG recorded the biggest win in a final in the Champions League’s 69-year history.
Now PSG can truly sit alongside the royalty of European football. Not by virtue of turnover or merchandising, but on the merits of its achievements on the field.
The Champions League is the ultimate barometer of the continent’s elite clubs, and up until now, PSG has been a flashy contender that always came up short.
That all changed at Allianz Arena, the home of Bayern Munich, one of the titans of Europe, and a fitting stage for PSG’s crowning moment. Not least because it was against Bayern that it lost its only other Champions League final in 2020, leaving Neymar in tears in an empty stadium in Lisbon where fans were locked out because of the pandemic.
Paris St Germain players celebrate winning the Champions League by throwing their coach Luis Enrique into the air [Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters]
On this occasion, thousands of PSG supporters were there to revel in the moment, waving flags, lighting flares and drowning out their rivals from Inter, many of whose supporters left the stadium long before the final whistle.
They’d been partying in the streets of Munich throughout the day, but that was nothing compared to the scenes of joy when Marquinhos held the trophy aloft in front of teammates, with fireworks and golden confetti exploding behind them.
PSG truly delivered when it mattered after so many setbacks in this competition. If there were any nerves from Luis Enrique’s players, it did not show as they dominated Inter from the start.
Achraf Hakimi of Paris Saint-Germain muted his celebration after scoring his team’s first goal out of respect to his former club [Justin Setterfield/Getty Images]
It took just 12 minutes for the French champions to go ahead with a move of speed and precision when Vitinha’s threaded pass into the box found the feet of Doue. The forward could have shot, but instead slid in Hakimi to tap into an open net.
Former Inter player Hakimi’s celebrations were muted, but PSG’s fans erupted.
Eight minutes later and the lead was doubled, although this time it relied more on luck than precision, as Doue’s shot from the right of the box deflected off Federico Dimarco and past Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
He got his second in the 63rd, sliding the ball into the bottom corner when through on goal.
Kvaratskhelia added a fourth 10 minutes later, and Mayulu then found the back of the net in the 86th, just two minutes after coming on, adding his name to the list of teenage scorers in a final.
Paris St Germain’s Marquinhos prepares to lift the trophy as he celebrates with teammates after winning the Champions League [Annegret Hilse/Reuters]
MUNICH — Paris Saint-Germain, Champions League winner.
At long last the club that was transformed by Qatari billions and bought and sold a succession of the world’s greatest players in an extravagant bid to get to the top has its hands on the big one.
European club soccer’s grandest prize has a new home after PSG thrashed Inter Milan 5-0 in Saturday’s final in Munich.
The trophy that not even Lionel Messi, Neymar or Kylian Mbappe could deliver to the French club was finally claimed by Luis Enrique, the Spanish coach who has overseen PSG’s shift from the era of galactico signings to one of genuine team-building.
Fitting then that Désiré Doué, the 19-year-old French forward emblematic of the club’s new generation, was the chief inspiration on a balmy night. He became the third teenager to score in a Champions League final, following Patrick Kluivert and Carlos Alberto.
Doué scored twice and set up another goal in little over an hour on the field before being substituted in the second half.
Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and substitute Senny Mayulu, the fourth teenager to ever score in a final added to Doue’s double as PSG recorded the biggest win in a final in the Champions League’s 69-year history.
Now PSG can truly sit alongside the royalty of European soccer. Not by virtue of turnover or merchandizing, but on the merits of its achievements on the field.
The Champions League is the ultimate barometer of the continent’s elite clubs and up until now PSG has been a flashy contender that always came up short.
That all changed at Allianz Arena, the home of Bayern Munich, one of the titans of Europe, and a fitting stage for PSG’s crowning moment. Not least because it was against Bayern that it lost its only other Champions League final in 2020, leaving Neymar in tears in an empty stadium in Lisbon where fans were locked out because of the pandemic.
On this occasion, thousands of PSG supporters were there to revel in the moment, waving flags, lighting flares and drowning out their rivals from Inter, many of whose supporters left the stadium long before the final whistle.
They’d been partying in the streets of Munich throughout the day, but that was nothing compared to the scenes of joy when Marquinhos held the trophy aloft in front of teammates, with fireworks and golden confetti exploding behind them.
PSG truly delivered when it mattered after so many setbacks in this competition. If there were any nerves from Luis Enrique’s players it did not show as they dominated Inter from the start.
It took just 12 minutes for the French champion to go ahead with a move of speed and precision when Vitinha’s threaded pass into the box found the feet of Doué. The forward could have shot, but instead slid in Hakimi to tap into an open net.
Former Inter player Hakimi’s celebrations were muted but PSG’s fans erupted.
Eight minutes later and the lead was doubled — though this time it relied more on luck than precision as Doué’s shot from the right of the box deflected off Federico Dimarco and past Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
He got his second in the 63rd, sliding the ball into the bottom corner when through on goal.
Kvaratskhelia added a fourth 10 minutes later and Mayulu then found the back of the net in the 86th, just two minutes after coming on to add his name to the list of teenage scorers in a final.
Norrie and Fearnley may have never previously met on the ATP Tour, but they are well aware of each other, having trodden a similar path into the professional ranks.
The pair both played United States college tennis at Texas Christian University, with the older Norrie often going back to offer wisdom to the younger cohorts.
Norrie has been a shining example to them by maximising his abilities to forge an impressive career – reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2022 on his way into the world’s top 10.
Fearnley did not make his ATP debut until last year, turning professional shortly after completing his kinesiology degree.
Fearnley had not played on clay professionally until last month and a confident Norrie – who beat former world number one Daniil Medvedev in the first round – produced a confident display to win.
“I feel great – it was really tough to get there,” said Norrie.
“It was a tough match playing Jacob. He’s had an amazing season and breakthrough on the tour.”
The pair shared a warm embrace at the net after a three-hour contest played in bizarre circumstances.
Almost 50,000 football supporters were arriving at the Parc des Princes – which is over the road from Roland Garros – to watch the Champions League final on big screens.
Norrie had to abort his serve when he led 4-1 in the second-set tie-break, but refocused to secure a commanding lead.
As well as the fireworks, the players could also hear car horns tooting and police sirens during the opening two sets.
The noise subsided in the third set – as the football match’s kick-off time approached – and Norrie cruised to victory.
29. PSG record a seventh attempt of the game, five of which have been on target.
As for Inter, it’s just one wayward Francesco Acerbi effort so far for them.
From Dan King in Munich
As Paul Merson would say, only this time it’s probably true: game over.
PSG have been utterly dominant and are good value for their lead.They are superior in every department. Inter have barely laid a glove on them.
PSG’s full backs are giving them such a platform by pushing forward into midfield that you would hardly know Inter have five there.
And the PSG front three have produced, again.
PSG 2-0 Inter
25. Inter manage the game’s first corner, but that doesn’t count for much at the moment – particularly when the Parisians defend it so well.
It’s just not happening, not sticking, for the Italians at the moment. They simply must change something.
PSG 2-0 Inter
23. It’s a long, long way back for Inter now.
The last side to come back from a two-goal deficit to win the Champions League final was Liverpool in 2005.
But miracles such as Istanbul don’t happen every day. It’s unlikely that they even happen every 20 years.
PSG 2-0 Inter
20. Is that the Champions League won?!
Twenty minutes in and Paris Saint-Germain lead by two, and they are good value for such a margin.
It all stems from that long throw at the other end, which Willian Pacho does brilliantly to keep in play when others would have settled for an Inter corner.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia takes over on the left, and he pushes on to find Ousmane Dembele. The forward then switches play to the right for Desire Doue to take aim just inside the area.
The teenager’s shot isn’t the best, but it it loops up off Federico Dimarco, who has turned his back on the effort, and beats Yann Sommer at the near post.
The French club now have one hand on the Champions League trophy!
IT’S the most glamorous fixture on the football calendar – but the glitziest stars will be the ones cheering on from the sidelines.
As Paris Saint-Germain prepare to take on Inter this evening, the players’ stunning WAGs will be getting dressed up to the nines as their partners prepare for potential Champions League glory.
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Kleofina Pnishi, 30, is engaged to Inter star Benjamin Pavard, 29Credit: Instagram/@kleofina
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Portuguese television and film star Madalena Aragão, 19, with her PSG boyfriend João Neves, 20Credit: getty
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Nitsa Tavadze, 23, wife of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, 24, studied medicine at uniCredit: instagram/@nitsatavadze
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Nitsa and Kvaratskhelia tied the knot on October 16, 2023Credit: Instagram/@nitsatavadze/
While PSG’s roster has included superstars including Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar in recent years, this year’s team is full of young, hungry talents ready to make their own names on the world stage.
In 2023, they tied the knot at the historic Samtavro Monastery in Mtskheta, celebrating with Georgian traditions, attire, and customs.
Although the couple were introduced by a mutual friend in 2021 sparks didn’t fly until a month later.
Due to Nitsa’s demanding studies, the pair would write to and call each other, and would meet up during their time off or when Kvaratskhelia was on an international break.
When Nitsa didn’t have lectures to attend, she would go to Naples and attend matches at his former team, Napoli.
They made their first appearance at a basketball game between Italy and Georgia and by 2022 they were official. Now, they share a son, Damian, one.
Golf Wag Jena Sims ‘test drives her bikinis for summer’ with fans unable to pick between skimpy outfits
Océane Toussaint and Warren Zaire-Emery
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Océane Toussaint, 21, girlfriend of Warren Zaire Emery, 19, is a professional goalkeeper for PSGCredit: INSTAGRAM
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The young couple have been dating since 2024Credit: INSTAGRAM
French goalie Océane Toussaint, 21, has been in a relationship with her fellow PSG star Warren Zaire-Emery, 19, since 2024.
They were first papped together at a Louis Vuitton event in January and later confirmed their relationship at a gala in May.
Océane was the first goalkeeper to win the Titi d’Or – a fan award for PSG’s most promising academy player – in 2023 and took to social media to share her success with fans.
She wrote: “Very proud to be the first Titi gold keeper, thank you again for all your messages.”
During their short time together so far, Océane and Warren have already jetted off for glamorous holidays and were seen visiting Zoomarine in the Algarve.
Madalena Aragão and João Neves
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Madalena Aragão, girlfriend of João Neves is a Portuguese TV and film starCredit: Instagram
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The young actress has moved countries to be with her boyfriendCredit: instagram
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The couple have made the most of life in ItalyCredit: instagram/@madalena_aragao_
Portuguese television and film star Madalena Aragão, 19, has been in a relationship with João Neves, 20, since 2024.
Madalena made her acting debut in 2016 when she was just 10 years old in the soap opera Rainha das Flores.
The talented actress is also a popular blogger and creator of a YouTube channel, where she shares her thoughts on teenage life and growing up.
Since embarking on her new relationship with João it’s been go go go. She even moved to Paris to be with him after his move from Benfica to the French giants.
The pair have also been quite active on social media, sharing several adorable pics together.
In response to one of Madalena’s recent Instagram posts, Portuguese actor and model Diogo Amaral replied: “My favourite couple.”
Carol Cabrino and Marquinhos
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Brazilian Instagram star Carol Cabrino, 32, is married to Marquinhos, 31Credit: Instagram
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The couple share three children but recently suffered a heartbreaking miscarriageCredit: getty
Influencer Carol Cabrino, 32, carved out a successful singing career before her marriage to Brazilian centre back Marquinhos, 31.
After he proposed to her underneath the Eiffel Tower, the pair had a civil wedding in June 2016.
Together they share three children – Maria, eight, Enrico, six, and Martina, 3 – but tragically, Carol recently opened up about losing her fourth child after suffering a miscarriage.
Taking to Instagram to share the distressing news in March, she said: “I’m going to talk about something that is not very good.
“But I’ve accepted what happened to me and I’ve come to share it with you.
“I can’t get on with my life if I don’t come here and explain to you a little of the things that have been happening in my life for a while now.”
Alessia Elefante and Gianluigi Donnarumma
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Alessia Elefante, 27, fiance of Gianluigi Donnarumma, 26, was born in Naples, ItlayCredit: Instagram
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The couple share a son Leo, one, and a dog CocoCredit: Instagram
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A little known fact about Alessia is that she has a twin sister, DanielaCredit: Instagram
Italian bombshell Alessia Elefante, 27, is the fiancée of Gianluigi Donnarumma, 26, and the couple have been together for over seven years.
Alessia is an interior designer and mum to one-year-old Leo, whom she shares with Gianluigi. The Italian pro footballer proposed to her a month after their son was born.
They also share a dog named Coco that Alessia has referred to via her Instagram as her “favourite baby boy” and “a prince” – before her son was born, of course!
Despite such a significant height difference, the couple seem super loved up and often share photos together on social media.
Another little known fact about Alessia is that she’s a twin. On May 27, 2024, she took to Instagram to share a birthday pic with her sister Daniela.
The caption wrote: “Since 1998. Love you.”
Shocked fans were quick to spot the similarities between the pair. One person wrote: “I thought there was a mirror in the 1st pic.”
Inter Milan
Agustina Gandolfo and Lautaro Martinez
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Argentinian Agustina Gandolfo, 29, is the wife of Lautaro Martinez, 27Credit: Instagram
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The entrepreneur and wellness advocate met her match in 2016Credit: instagram/@agus.gandolfo/)
Model Agustina, 29, has two children with Inter’s star striker Lautaro, 27, Nina, four and Theo, two.
Agus has developed a career as a mumfluencer in recent years, with her candid posts about the realities of motherhood.
Alongside her personal updates, she has launched her own lifestyle brand, Coraje, as well as partnering with trendy fashion and fitness labels like Cloter Official and Tropical Sweat.
She met her Argentine husband around 2016 when he was playing for local club Racing, at a party hosted by fellow stars Mauro Icardi and Wanda Nara.
They were initially pals but later fell in love. They had their first child, a daughter named Nina, in 2021 and had a son in 2023.
The pair had a lavish wedding in Villa d’Este on Lake Como Italy in 2023 with 120 guests.
Agus has three tattoos: one of birds flying on her upper back, a heart on her arm and a quote on her ribs.
She also made headlines in 2021 after claiming a Milan restaurant had handed her a menu that didn’t have any prices on during a romantic meal out with her man.
She claimed on her Instagram story that the practice is sexist – because it assumes the man is going to pay for the meal, not the woman.
Kleofina Pnishi and Benjamin Pavard
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Bombshell Kleofina Pnishi is married to Benjamin PavardCredit: Instagram/@kleofina
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Benjamin proposed to her on the coast of Saranda in a beautiful romantic atmosphere with flowers and candlesCredit: Instagram
Kosovo-born actress and model Kleofina, 30, was elected Miss Provence 2017 and ran in the Miss France competition the following year.
But life hasn’t always been easy. When she was just five years old, her family fled their homeland due to the war and arrived in France in 1999.
She graduated from the School of Journalism and Communication of Aix-Marseille, before meeting Benjamin Pavard, 29, with the pair getting engaged in July last year.
Benjamin got down on one knee on the coast of Saranda, Albania, in a beautiful, romantic proposal made special with flowers and candles.
Federica Schievenin and Nicolò Barella
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Federica Schievenin, 35, wife of Nicolò Barella, 28, is a sports scientistCredit: instagram/@fede_schievenin
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The blonde beauty is also a model and certified personal trainerCredit: instagram/@fede_schievenin
Stunning sports scientist Federica Schievenin, 35, met childhood sweetheart Nicolò, 28, over a decade ago.
Like her beau, she has had a passion for sports since a young age thanks to thanks to her dad, who was into motocross.
She earned a PT CFT3 certification from the International Sports Scientists Association in 2019 and is now said to be studying nutraceuticals and naturopathy.
The pair tied the knot in 2018 and are now parents to four children: daughters Rebecca, eight, Lavinia, five, Matilde, four and a baby son, Romeo.
Federica keeps her children’s faces hidden on social media, usually with an emoji.
Claudia Scarpari and Francesco Acerbi
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Claudia Scarpari, 38, wife of Francesco Acerbi, 37, has never missed a matchCredit: Instagram
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The pair met in early 2020 and went public with the relationship later that yearCredit: Instagram @claudiascarp
Claudia Scarpari, 38, is the wife of defender Francesco Acerbi, 37, who she met in early 2020.
Speaking of their early romance, the glamorous lawyer said she found it “enchanting” to watch him play, but admitted she didn’t follow football before they met.
However, since falling in love with the defender, Claudia has revealed she had never missed a match, and will always be cheering on her partner.
Claudia already has a daughter and a son from a previous relationship, and has had more children with Francesco.
Their daughters are named Vittoria, four and Nala, two.
On top of being a supportive WAG, Claudia is a successful lawyer and has spoken of the similarities between the couple’s careers, explaining they are both “defending and protecting what we believe in”.
The couple married in early 2025 in Cassina Rizzardi, Italy.
Sinem Gündoğdu and Hakan Çalhanoğlu
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Sinem Gündoğdu, 30, and Hakan Çalhanoğlu, 31, grew up together in Turkey before falling in love and tying the knot in 2017Credit: instagram
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The couple made headlines in 2018 after Hakan filed for divorceCredit: getty
Hakan Çalhanoğlu, 31, and Sinem, 30, grew up together in Turkey before tying the knot in 2017, but their relationship has not always been plain sailing.
In 2018, the midfielder sensationally announced the decision to divorce his wife after a “very serious and unforgivable situation occurred”.
Sinem’s response was speedy, and came with another bombshell, as she announced: “I never cheated on you. By the way, I’m pregnant.”
Fortunately, the couple appear to have resolved their issues and now seem better than ever.
Together they have three children: Liya, six, born in 2019, Ayaz, four, born in 2021 and Asil Can, two, born in 2023.
Born in Vizzolo Predabissi, a village 15 miles away from San Siro and the site of his so-far most iconic moment, Acerbi’s sporting history began in 2006 at nearby Pavia in Serie C.
After a loan spell at Renate in Serie D, Acerbi began touring Italy with moves to Reggina, Genoa and Chievo, where he made his Serie A debut and emerged as one of the most promising defenders in the league.
AC Milan, the club he had supported since childhood, took notice of his qualities. In 2012 he made a permanent move to the Rossoneri where, however, things did not turn out as expected.
Acerbi had a problem, which in turn triggered others – an unresolved relationship with his father, his first admirer but also his first critic.
“He wanted to do me good, but without meaning to, he would go so far as to hurt me,” Acerbi recently said of his father’s constant criticism.
Paolo Franchini, the psychotherapist who helped Acerbi make peace with his father over the years, said: “He was his number one fan, but also his number one pain in the neck. He was always pointing out the mistakes he made.”
Now, when Acerbi raises his arms to the sky at the start of each game, he does it for him, but his has been a long journey.
His father died shortly after his move to AC Milan. Acerbi lost his balance and fell into depression.
“Already at the beginning of my career I didn’t really have the right attitude for a professional player,” he later said.
“I would often arrive tipsy at trainings, without having fully recovered from the night before. I was physically strong, and that was enough for me.
“As my father died, however, I hit rock bottom. I no longer had any drive and could no longer play. I was sick and would drink anything.”
After just six months, the Rossoneri loaned him back to Chievo, then he moved on again to Sassuolo at the end of the season.
Billions of dollars have been spent. Some of the world’s greatest players have come and gone. Yet the Champions League trophy has remained agonisingly out of reach for Paris Saint-Germain.
That could be about to change.
The Qatari-owned team is one game away from European club football’s most prestigious prize, with Inter Milan standing in the way in Saturday’s final in Munich.
“The motivation for me is to win the Champions League title for the first time for PSG,” coach Luis Enrique said on Friday. “That is the gift I want to give the people, the club, the city.”
Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique during training in Munich [Peter Cziborra/Reuters]
Inter Milan have ‘utmost’ respect for PSG
PSG is the favourite, with a thrilling young team that has produced stunning performances to get past Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal. It feels like its time has finally come.
But Inter is a wily opponent that is in its second final in three seasons and cut down a rampant Barcelona in an epic semifinal — winning 7-6 on aggregate.
“Our opponent, we hold the utmost respect for,” Inter captain Lautaro Martinez said. “But with the weapons we’ve got, we want to hit them where it hurts.”
The warning signs are there for PSG.
PSG’s run to the final has justified a shift in direction from the bling culture of superstar signings to focus more on young French talent.
Owned by Qatar Sports Investments since 2011, PSG signed some of the biggest names in football, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi without ever getting its hands on the trophy it craves most of all.
Messi, Neymar and Mbappe have all gone, and without those iconic figures, PSG looks a more complete team.
“It’s about being a team, not a group of individuals,” PSG captain Marquinhos said. “I’m in love with this team. It’s a delight to be part of the squad.”
Paris Saint-Germain’s Marquinhos during a session in training in Munich [Angelika Warmuth/(Reuters]
Expensive PSG face savvy Inter Milan
PSG’s transformation has still come at some cost.
Players like Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia were signed for an estimated $240m combined in a squad assembled at spectacular expense.
Meanwhile, Inter has been savvy in the market — signing older players and picking up free agents to put together a team that has reached two Champions League finals in three years — losing to Man City in 2023 — and won an Italian title in that time.
PSG’s only previous final was in 2020, a 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich.
It was a semifinalist in 2021 and 2024. Elimination in the round of 16 in 2022 and 2023 preceded the decision by President Nasser Al-Khelaifi to change his transfer strategy.
This year is only the second time since 2011 that three-time champion Inter has advanced beyond the round of 16.
Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi oversees his side’s training before the final [Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters]
World Cup winner ‘missing’ a Champions League medal
Inter last won the Champions League in 2010 under Jose Mourinho.
Dembele has been one of the outstanding players in Europe this season with 30 goals in all competitions for PSG, including a run of 24 in 18 games from December to March.
Kvaratskhelia was signed from Napoli in January and sparked a turnaround in PSG’s fortunes in the Champions League when it looked in danger of being eliminated at the league stage.
The Georgian forward was long considered one of the brightest talents in Europe before making the move and has added another dimension to an already thrilling PSG attack.
Midfielders Vitinha and Joao Neves are the engine, hungrily hunting down the ball when out of possession and springing attacks with the speed of their passing.
World Cup winner Lautaro Martinez is Inter’s standout player and became the club’s all-time leading scorer in the Champions League this season.
“I’ve won big trophies, but I’m missing the Champions League. I’m happy to be in another final. We want to have the perfect game and bring the trophy back to Milan,” the Argentinian forward said.
Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez is his side’s leading scorer this season [Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters]
Inter enter second final in three years as PSG eye date with destiny
Defender Denzel Dumfries played a huge role in beating Barcelona with two goals in the first leg at the Nou Camp and goalkeeper Yann Sommer pulled off a string of saves to keep Inter in the tie in the second leg.
A Champions League winner with Barcelona in 2015, Luis Enrique has won 12 major trophies in spells with the Catalan club and PSG.
If his club, the French champions, triumph on Saturday, he would become the seventh coach to win the Champions League or European Cup with two different teams. The list includes Carlo Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola and Mourinho.
Victory would come 10 years after his previous title.
“I have peace of mind. I’ve got 10 years more experience since the last time,” Luis Enrique said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to play in a final and make history.”
Inter’s Simone Inzaghi is hoping to win his first Champions League title at the second time of asking after the defeat to City two years ago.
Then, as now, Inter was the underdog, and came close to upsetting Guardiola’s all-conquering City.
“Matches don’t come down to wage bills or turnover, it’s the players on the pitch,” Inzaghi said. “We were huge underdogs two years ago and went toe to toe.
“I dreamt of playing the Champions League final. I didn’t do it as a player, but thanks to this group of players, I’ve been in two finals as a head coach.”
Inzaghi cannot match Enrique’s trophy count but has impressed at Inter where he won Serie A last year, and alongside two Italian Cups, it was his third overall. Only a week ago, Inter surrendered the Serie A title by one point.
Football experts Nedum Onuoha, Julien Laurens and Nicky Bandini build a combined Inter Milan and Paris St-Germain team before the teams meet in Saturday’s Champions League final.
Ousmane Dembele, Lautaro Martinez, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia or Marcus Thuram? The panel discuss the options available to fill the places in attack.
But Inter head to Munich still thanking their old-timer for keeping their Champions League dream alive, desperate to be crowned Kings of Europe for the fourth time.
But that cute, near-post effort to get in front of Ronald Araujo and find Wojciech Szczesny’s top corner may well be his own personal crowning moment of a career that has seen it all.
Born in the outskirts of Milan in February 1988, Acerbi is now 90 minutes away from completing the circle by leading I Nerazzurri to European glory.
But his road to the San Siro – the site of his goal that will live long in the memory of all Inter fans – is far longer than the 15 miles from suburban Vizzolo Predabissi.
And it features battles on the pitch with the world’s best strikers but more importantly off the pitch, too, with cancer, depression and alcohol.
JOURNEYMAN CAREER
Acerbi started out in Serie C at Pavia in 2006 and even featured in the semi-professional Serie D on loan at Renate.
A loan to Spezia’s youth team followed before permanent spells at Reggina, Genoa and Chievo, where he eventually made his top-flight debut.
AC Milan came calling in 2012 and he was briefly team-mates with the likes of Robinho and Mario Balotelli.
Inter Milan hero Frattesi drops F-bomb live on TV after win over Barcelona leaving CBS Sports studio in hysterics
But after just six months of struggling for minutes, he was sold to Genoa, who immediately loaned him back to Chievo.
It wasn’t until Acerbi signed for Sassuolo in 2013 that he finally had stability, spending five seasons there before four at Lazio.
He initially joined Inter on loan in 2022-23 where he was reunited with ex-Lazio boss Simone Inzaghi and made the move permanent the following summer.
That transfer took his tally to 14 spells with ten different clubs.
FRAN THE MAN
Acerbi scored an all-important header against bitter rivals and former employers AC Milan in April 2024.
That helped his side to a 2-1 win which saw them confirmed as Serie A champions for the 20th time.
A year earlier, towards the end of his loan season, Acerbi came in for huge praise for his performance in the Champions League final.
However, Acerbi’s toughest challenges have come away from football.
His father died during his short stint at AC Milan, triggering depression which led to him turning and even relying on alcohol to numb the pain and suffering.
Then upon signing for Sassuolo in 2013 at the start of the next season, Acerbi was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
A regular health check-up flagged unusual blood test results and he immediately underwent surgery to remove the tumour.
But having returned to training and competitive action, he failed an anti-doping test.
17
Acerbi kept Erling Haaland quiet in the 2023 Champions League finalCredit: Reuters
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His header against AC Milan helped secure Inter the Serie A titleCredit: Getty
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Acerbi’s journeyman career settled after he beat cancer twice at SassuoloCredit: Getty Images – Getty
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Acerbi got his kit off to make the Euro 2020 victory over EnglandCredit: Getty
Acerbi denied taking any banned performance-enhancing drugs and it transpired the irregular hormone levels were because the cancer had come back again.
As a result, the defender had two months of chemotherapy at the start of 2014.
But Acerbi actually credits the two bouts of cancer for “saving” him from the depression and alcoholism.
He candidly explained to La Repubblica in 2019: “After my father died, when I was playing for Milan, I hit rock bottom.
“It was as if I’d forgotten how to play, or why I was playing. I started drinking and, believe me, I’d drink anything.
“It might seem like a terrible paradox, but the cancer saved me. I had something new to fight against, a limit to overcome.
“It was as if I got to start life all over again and saw the world in a way I’d completely forgotten. I stopped being scared.
“I was thinking to myself, ‘What will you do if it comes back again?’ ‘I’ll face it again,’ I replied.
Symptoms of testicular cancer
The most common sign is a lump or swelling on one of your testicles, which is normally about the size of a pea.
Not all testicular lumps are cancerous, while only four per cent of scrotal lumps are, but you should still always get your GP to take a look.
Here are the signs to look out for:
A lump or swelling in the testicle
A heavy scrotum
A dull ache or sharp pain in the testicles and scrotum
A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum
A difference in the texture or increase in firmness of the testicle
A difference between one testicle and the other
To know if you have any signs of changes in your testicles, it’s important to know what feels normal.
It’s a good idea to have a hot shower before checking them, then gently roll your testicle between your thumb and finger.
Then repeat for the other testicle.
Repeat this every week so you get a feel for their shape and size.
“Chemotherapy was like stepping into a parallel world, the entrance to which is closer than you could possibly think, so you never leave it again. It’s a world of pain and of courage.
“I think having that illness improved me as a person, cancelling out remorse and regret.
“I became an observer of my surroundings. I eliminated the superfluous, the negative, but also the illusions. I stopped dreaming big and started to focus on simple targets.”
EURO HERO
Incredibly, Acerbi made his senior Italy international debut later in the same year he underwent the chemotherapy.
But by 2019, he had still only managed to add two further appearances – one in 2016, one in 2018 – before being brought back into the fold by Roberto Mancini.
And while Acerbi won’t go down as one of the all-time great Italian defenders with the likes of Paolo Maldini, Fabio Cannavaro, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini et al, he was awarded the top Order of Merit in Italy after being part of the Euro 2020-winning squad.
17
Francesco Acerbi has two children with Claudia ScarpariCredit: Instagram @claudiascarp
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The couple got married in January 2025Credit: Instagram
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Acerbi has tattoos across his torso, arms and legsCredit: Instagram @claudiascarp
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Claudia regularly attends Inter matches to cheer her husband onCredit: Instagram
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Acerbi opened up on his struggles with depression and alcohol after his father diedCredit: Instagram
He set up the extra-time winner against Austria in the round of 16 then was an unused sub in the quarters, semis and final, where the Azzurri beat England on penalties.
Acerbi, though, has not added to his 34 caps since 2023 and pulled out of the squad in March 2024 after allegations he made racist comments to Napoli’s Juan Jesus during a Serie A match earlier that month.
A Serie A sports judge dismissed the case, citing a lack of evidence, as Acerbi escaped punishment – a decision furious Napoli labelled “astonishing”.
BARCA DRAMA
Acerbi hit the headlines for all the right reasons, though, with his goal against Barcelona – four months on from marrying Claudia Scarpari, the mum of his two daughters.
Incredibly, that was his very first career goal in European football in his 66th appearance across the Champions League and Europa League.
To make the finish even more impressive and remarkable, the left-footed 6ft 4ins unit scored with his right foot.
So it was no wonder he ripped his famous black-and-blue shirt and then his underlayer off in sheer unbridled delirious delight to reveal his tattooed torso.
Acerbi’s many inkings will tell their own stories.
But the image of the seasoned and battle-scarred pensioner unsure how to celebrate his magic moment other than jumping gleefully on to his knees punctuates a truly turbulent tale of football with the most emphatic of exclamation marks.
Now can he write one more chapter in his rollercoaster novel at the Allianz Arena?
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He got in front of Ronald Araujo to fire past Wojciech SzczesnyCredit: AP
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His goal sparked wild scenes among his team-mates, coaches and fansCredit: Getty
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Acerbi soaked up the adulation from the adoring crowdCredit: AP
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Acerbi won the Coppa Italia in 2019 with Lazio then in 2023 with InterCredit: Instagram
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Will he add another tattoo to mark a famous victory in Munich?Credit: Instagram
What: UEFA Champions League final When: Saturday, May 31, 9pm (19:00 GMT) Where: Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany Who: Paris Saint-Germain (France) vs Inter Milan (Italy)
How to follow our coverage: We’ll have all the build-up from 5pm (15:00 GMT) on Al Jazeera Sport.
The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League season concludes at the dazzling Allianz Arena in Munich as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) meet three-time champions Inter Milan in the final of Europe’s premier club competition.
PSG will be appearing in just their second Champions League final, having lost their first to German side Bayern Munich in 2020.
For PSG manager, Luis Enrique, it is just the latest chapter in his record of climbing to new highs – first from release by Real Madrid, as a youngster, and then by winning the 2015 title treble at Barcelona as a coach, the club where he also made his name as a player.
Road to the final
PSG, backed by owners Qatar Sports Investments, booked their place in the Champions League final earlier in May. The Paris-based side beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Parc des Princes, winning their semifinal tie with a 3-1 aggregate scoreline.
Inter Milan beat Barcelona 7-6 on aggregate, with the second leg in Italy going to extra time despite the Spanish club leading in injury time in normal time.
How did PSG and Inter fare in their league seasons?
Inter Milan finished second in Serie A in a dramatic final round showdown with Napoli, who began the final day with a one point advantage.
PSG were dominant in the 2024-25 Ligue 1 season, wrapping up the domestic title by an incredible 19 points – and that was despite slacking off towards the end of the season with three straight winless matches to end their campaign.
Their last outing, however, was the French Cup final, which resulted in a 3-0 win against Reims last Saturday.
Retired star football player Thierry Henry, second right, in an interview with Inter Milan’s French forward Marcus Thuram, right, as part of the club’s media day on May 26, 2025 in Italy before the final [Piero Cruciatti/AFP]
Which French forward will prevail?
PSG’s gifted French forward, Ousmane Dembele, overcame a slow start to the season to reel off one of the greatest offensive performances in Europe this season.
In 50 appearances this season, the 27-year-old Dembele scored 32 goals – and he was huge part of an incredible 30-match unbeaten league run by PSG.
Inter Milan’s French international Marcus Thuram has netted 18 goals in 52 appearances this season.
Son of Lilian Thuram, a legendary French World Cup winner, Marcus was born in Italy, where his father was representing Parma at the time.
The 27-year-old has scored twice for France in 29 appearances for his country, and has proved a fine foil for Inter’s top scorer this season, Lautaro Martinez.
Where will the final be played
The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League final will take place at the Munich Football Arena.
The 75,000 seat venue, better known as Allianz Arena, is the home of current German Bundesliga winners Bayern Munich.
It’s the first time a German venue has held the Champions League final since 2012.
One of the world’s great football venues – the ‘Allianz Arena’ stadium in Munich, Germany [Matthias Schrader/AP]
Have PSG ever played Inter?
This will be the first time that Inter and PSG meet in a competitive fixture.
The teams last played in a preseason friendly on August 1, 2023 at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo. Inter won the contest 2-1 with Stefano Sensi scoring the game-winner in the 83rd minute.
Stefano Sensi of Inter scores the game-winning second goal during the preseason friendly match between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Internazionale on August 1, 2023 in Tokyo, Japan [Shi Tang/Getty Images]
Why did star player Hakimi leave Inter for PSG?
Current PSG defender Achraf Hakimi last played for Inter Milan in the 2020-21 season.
The Spanish-born speedy right-back, widely regarded as one of the best full-backs in the world, was a casualty of Inter’s huge cost-cutting drive caused, in large part, by the financial debts attributed to the COVID-19 shutdown period.
Hakimi appeared in 37 matches for the Italian giants, scoring seven goals and racking up eight assists as Inter won their first domestic league title since 2010.
Achraf Hakimi played for Inter Milan in the 2020-21 season [File: Nicolo Campo/Light Rocket via Getty Images]
Team News: PSG
Out: None Doubtful: None
Enrique has a fully fit squad to choose from, no doubt boosted by the fact that PSG wrapped up the French top flight with six games to spare – thereafter managing the players’ workloads in the run-up to the final.
Inter pushed champions Napoli to the wire in Serie A – which concluded last Friday – so will inevitably feel heavier in the legs.
Inter fullback Benjamin Pavard and striker Lautaro Martinez are both expected to be fully fit, with the latter having returned to the bench in recent matches.
“My wish is to have everyone available on Saturday evening,” Inzaghi said. “We’re going to approach the final in the best possible way.”
PSG’s head coach Luis Enrique, centre, celebrates at the end of the French Cup football final [Aurelien Morissard/AP]
Form guide
PSG (all competitions, most recent first):
W-W-W-W-L
Inter Milan (all competitions, most recent first):
W-D-W-W-W
What the managers had to say
Luis Enrique, PSG manager: “It’s Inter Milan’s second final in three years. They’re ready. They’ve not made too many changes to their side. It’s a team that dominates from set pieces. It’s up to us to go into the final in the right frame of mind.
“We’ve grown a lot this season and the players have progressed a lot. I think the strength of the team is the most important thing. You learn something every day after many years of experience as a coach, and I’m improving all the time with this group.”
Simone Inzaghi, Inter Milan manager: “The players did something extraordinary. We played four amazing games against two world-class teams like Bayern and Barcelona. It was great to celebrate this achievement [reaching the final] here with our fans.”
What is the prize money
Winner: €20m ($22.5m)
Runners-up: €15.5m ($17.5m)
The UEFA Champions League trophy [File: Ibrahim Ezzat/NurPhoto via Getty Images]
PSG and Inter battle it out to be crowned the Kings of Europe in Saturday’s Champions League final.
The European showdown has the potential to be one of the best in recent history with both sides showing incredible attacking intent in the run-up to the Munich final.
SunSport have enlisted the help of their betting experts to preview the game and select the best bets, tips and exclusive sign-up bonuses from our leading betting partners.
The crowning moment of the European domestic season is here as PSG and Inter go toe-to-toe for ultimate glory.
Despite Mikel Arteta’s strange claims, these two have been the two best sides in the knockout rounds and have come through difficult ties to reach this point.
A disappointing league phase for PSG who finished 15th and meant they actually had to come through the play-off round, only just as a seeded side.
But that 10-0 aggregate win over Brest was a sign of things to come and when beating Liverpool on penalties in the round-of-16, things opened up for them.
Beating Aston Villa the next time around, PSG were dominant in winning both legs against Arsenal in the semi finals to set up this final.
First scorer: Marcus Thuram 15/2 with talkSPORT BET – HERE
Having wrapped up Ligue 1 some time ago, everything has gone into finally getting over the line in this competition.
Inter have had a huge league battle on their hands, falling short to Napoli in last Friday’s final game shootout.
They need to pick themselves up now and show why they deserve to be here, after knocking out powerhouses Bayern and Barcelona in the knockouts.
The 7-6 semi final aggregate win over Barca was up there with one of the best Champions League ties in memory, and the 4-3 win over the German champions in the round prior showed they’ve to be taken seriously.
It also showed they’re pretty open at the back but have goals in abundance. The perfect mixture for the neutral….
PSG vs Inter latest odds
Odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.
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PSG vs Inter prediction
Hak down
How on earth is Hakan Calhanoglu so far down the booking markets? I assumed at first he must be suspended as he wasn’t near the top of the list.
Has a tough midfield battle in there against technicians and was booked in both legs against Barcelona. But also booked in FIVE of his last seven appearances – including all of his last FOUR starts.
Incredible value – take it before it goes!
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Make his mark
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has six goals and six assists since moving to PSG in January and is one of the big reasons their second half of the season has improved so greatly.
A constant threat down that left side, he’s had eight shots on target in the knockout stages, averaging over one per game (1.28) and over two shots taken in the competition since joining (2.08).
Inter’s last couple of rounds show that chances will be created by the French side, no surprises to see him at the heart of that.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia 2+ shots on target at 19/10 with William Hill – CLAIM HERE
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When Luis Enrique leads his Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) team out to play Inter Milan in Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final, the coach will be seeking to win the European continent’s top prize for the first time for the French side and reverse years of fan frustration at the Parc des Princes.
This is the club which, until recently, boasted superstar players the caliber of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr, but failed to win any European silverware since the third-tier UEFA Intertoto Cup way back in 2001.
Since his arrival in 2023, Enrique has changed PSG radically, overseeing the high-profile exits of Messi, Neymar and Mbappe, and transitioning from a team of ageing galacticos into one of the most exciting attacking sides in Europe.
Whether Enrique’s method is the best may ultimately be judged by what happens in the Champions League final in Munich.
Enrique the player
Away from events on the pitch, who is the real Luis Enrique who has presided over this radical transformation at PSG?
The 55-year-old began his football career in 1988, playing in the midfield for his local side, Sporting Gijon, a team in the Spanish Segunda Division.
In 1991 he was signed by mega club Real Madrid where he helped Los Blancos win La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Super Cup. On an individual level, Enrique did not perform up to expectations, which was mostly attributed to playing out of position on the wing and in more defensive roles.
Bitter rivals FC Barcelona snapped up an out-of-form Enrique in 1996, where he reverted to his favoured central midfield role. It paid dividends for the Catalan giants and Enrique went on to win La Liga, the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup trophies with Barca.
After retiring as a player in 2004, he went into management, reportedly at the invitation of current Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
Enrique started his coaching career at FC Barcelona “B”, before moving to AS Roma in Italy’s Serie A for the 2011-2012 season. The Spaniard was sacked at the end of the season, with a year still remaining on his contract, after Roma finished a disappointing seventh in the premier domestic competition.
Barcelona’s Luis Enrique, right, competes with Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane during a La Liga match at the Camp Nou Stadium, Barcelona on March 16, 2002 [Firo Foto/Getty Images]
Managing expectations
His next move was to Spanish La Liga side Celta Vigo – but he also departed from that club after just one year. It was then that Enrique received his career-altering managerial opportunity, returning to Barcelona as manager of the first team.
His four-year reign at the Nou Camp was crowned by Barca’s victory in the Champions League final in 2015 against Juventus, with the “Big-3” of Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar leading the attacking line, completing a rare treble for the club: Spanish League (La Liga), Spanish Cup (Copa del Rey) and European (Champions League) titles.
If PSG win the Champions League final on Saturday, Enrique will make history be becoming the only man to ever achieve a treble on two occasions.
When Enrique was named team coach of Spain in 2018, he entered a new world of international football.
Before the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Spain was fancied as possible winners. However, after a crushing round of 16 loss to underdogs Morocco, Enrique announced his resignation from the national side.
Incessant media speculation linked Enrique’s next managerial job with a move to England’s Premier League.
He was interviewed by Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea – but it was PSG, to the surprise of many, who secured his signature.
Perhaps it was the unique challenge of winning the Champions League with one of only two European super clubs never to have achieved the milestone – Arsenal being the other – which made him head to Paris.
Or perhaps it was a desire to show off his vision of attacking football by rebuilding a club his way.
Spain’s head coach Luis Enrique, left, embraces Sergio Busquets after losing the FIFA World Cup round of 16 match between Morocco and Spain, at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar on December 6, 2022 [Luca Bruno/AP]
Take me to Paris
A recent three-part documentary, produced by Zoom Sport Films, provided an intimate portrait of the coach who allowed the cameras into his private life for the first time, despite Enrique’s well-known animosity towards the media.
No Teneis Ni P*** Idea (You Don’t Have Any F****** Idea) reveals a driven man who is as passionate about football as his family – and keeping fit.
Viewers see Enrique arriving at PSG speaking only a few words of French. Nevertheless, he imposes his character on the club from the start.
Known by his nickname, Lucho, Enrique brings a Spanish-speaking coaching staff with him and addresses the players in his own language, with the aid of a French translator.
As relations with his biggest star – Mbappe – appear to worsen, viewers are treated to Enrique giving the star player what former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson used to call the “hairdryer treatment”, or a huge telling off.
But, as this is France, Enrique calls it “C’est Catastrophique (It’s catastrophic)” on a big presentation screen to the striker. The Spaniard is referring to Mbappe’s apparent refusal to defend at all after PSG were beaten 2-3 at home by Barcelona in the quarterfinal of the Champions League in April last year.
Despite the manager-star player bust-up, PSG would move on to the semifinals, where they were ultimately beaten by Borussia Dortmund. A year on, Enrique’s post-match comments may turn out to be prophetic:
“Now it’s a sad moment but you have to accept sometimes sport is that way. We have to try to create something special next year and win it.”
Then-PSG forward Kylian Mbappe is consoled by manager Luis Enrique after defeat to Borussia Dortmund during the UEFA Champions League semifinal second leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund at Parc des Princes on May 7, 2024 in Paris, France [Richard Heathcote/Getty Images]
Behind-the-scenes with Lucho
Curiously for a football manager, he spends much of his day studying his team on a series of computer screens. This is interspersed with workouts. “You must move every half an hour,” he says. In the documentary, Enrique is seen, in his plush Parisian house, regularly doing various strenuous exercises or cycling.
At the PSG training camp, he mixes team talks with plunges into his ice pool. It pays off, as the manager is fit. But when he walks around the pitch, it is always barefoot as he believes in “grounding” or getting back in touch with nature.
The documentary mixes moments from Enrique’s illustrious career, from the Real Madrid and Barca days, as well as the Spain role – the good and the bad. Not surprisingly, the lowest point is when Morocco upsets Spain and knocks the bookmaker’s favourite out of the World Cup.
Away from football, we also see a tender side to Lucho when the documentary touches on his close relationship with his youngest daughter, Xana, who died at the age of nine from osteosarcoma, a bone tumour, in 2019.
Enrique set up a foundation in her name with his wife, Elena Cullell, to try to help other families who are stricken by the same condition.
Then-Barcelona manager Luis Enrique and his late daughter Xana celebrate victory after the UEFA Champions League Final between Juventus and FC Barcelona at Olympic Stadium on June 6, 2015, in Berlin, Germany [Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images]
Graham Hunter, a producer on the documentary and a football journalist who is friends with Enrique, described his personality as “demanding and inspirational”.
“As a footballer, he was exceptional. A Spanish Roy Keane. His ability to play everywhere on the pitch slightly cut how good he was because managers used him all over the pitch. He was trophy-laden at Madrid and Barca,” he says.
“He did not want to be a coach originally. [He] Accepted an invitation from Pep [Guardiola] I think to coach Barca B. Although he clashed a little bit with Messi and Luis Suarez but that [2015] Champions League victory, it was unbelievable. They won the treble.”
Hunter believes Enrique changed the playing style of the Spain team during his managerial tenure, introducing young talent like Pedri.
“He built what has become a winning franchise and he carries a huge amount of credit to him,” he said.
Hunter says Enrique did not just go to PSG to win the Champions League.
“He went to PSG to imprint his brand of football and to convince the players, the fans that it was a brilliant, modern way to play football and to do that, you have to win the Champions League. For him, he is as interested in how people see his football as attacking and inspirational as winning trophies.”
Paris Saint-Germain’s head coach Luis Enrique, centre-right, celebrates PSG’s French League One title after the League One football match between Paris Saint-Germain and Auxerre at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, on May 17, 2025 [Franck Fife/Pool via AP]
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