PSG vs Inter Milan
The summer of 2023 hasn’t been smooth for PSG and Inter Milan, as both sides are dealing with wantaway stars that have disrupted their preparations for the 2023-24 campaign.
Kylian Mbappe has been the hottest topic in football nowadays because of his unwillingness to sign a new extension in Paris, while Romelu Lukaku, despite not being in the same class as Mbappe’s, has also become public enemy no. 1 at San Siro.
PSG and Inter Milan have already played a couple of Club Friendly games in Asia, as the Parisiens are fresh from a 3-2 loss against J-League side Cerezo Osaka, while the Nerazzurri were recently held to a 1-1 draw by Al-Nassr.
Both clubs will want to let it all out on the field on Tuesday, and the SBOTOP Club Friendly 2023 odds expect a fairly even matchup.
Talking Points
PSG’s attack looks bare without Mbappe
Despite inheriting a good squad, Luis Enrique is pushing PSG to sign at least five more players this summer. According to reports, the Spanish manager wants two wingers, a midfielder, a goalkeeper, and a top-notch striker.
Make it six, actually, if Marco Verratti ultimately leaves Paris for Al-Hilal. The 30-year-old midfielder has reportedly agreed on a three-year deal to move to the Saudi Pro League, but PSG have yet to agree because they want more money from Al-Hilal.
In their last three club friendlies, Marco Asensio and Hugo Ekitike have taken turns leading PSG’s frontline. But while their Club Friendly 2023 results are okay, Enrique is apparently not satisfied, hence his request.
With Kylian Mbappe left out of the squad, the hunt for attacking reinforcements continues for the Parisiens. Several media outlets claim that Enrique is a huge fan of Harry Kane, while they’re also thinking about hijacking Rasmus Hojlund’s imminent transfer to Manchester United.
Ousmane Dembele is one guy who could be on his way to Paris soon, as the Barcelona winger has reportedly agreed to a five-year deal at PSG. Dembele has a €50 million release clause in his Barca contract that is valid until July 31, and the Parisiens are expected to pull the trigger.
Bringing in Dembele improves PSG’s firepower, no doubt. And with Neymar likely to stay for at least one more season, PSG’s wing depth is no longer a problem.
Martinez is Inter Milan’s new White Knight
Lautaro Martinez was recently confirmed as the next team captain by the Nerazzurri. The Argentinian striker is the obvious choice since he has worn the captain’s armband on a number of occasions last term.
He has made 238 appearances in all competitions since his arrival in 2018 and has tallied 102 goals and 36 assists. Martinez became one of the top strikers in the world during his tenure at San Siro, so it is understandable that other clubs have been interested in signing him in recent years.
This summer, Martinez reportedly received a lucrative offer to join the Saudi Pro League, but he rejected it, citing his loyalty to Inter Milan and his fans.
Martinez isn’t shy about letting his feelings known, as he recently called out Romelu Lukaku for his poor conduct.
Reports claim that Lukaku didn’t return Inter Milan’s calls this summer and was accused of holding transfer talks with their fierce rivals, Juventus, despite having insisted that he was only interested in a return to San Siro.
Lukaku just returned to Stamford Bridge after his loan spell at Inter Milan. The Belgian striker rejected a move to Saudi Arabia, but he was left out of the Blues’ pre-season squad as they will look to sell him this summer.
History
PSG and Inter Milan are going to face off for the first time in four years on Tuesday. Prior to this upcoming match, the Parisiens and the Nerazzurri have met three times, all in a friendly setting.
Their first-ever matchup was in December 2014, when Yohan Cabaye scored the only goal en route to a 1-0 victory for the Parisiens. They would meet again exactly one year later, and it was Jean-Kevin Augustin who scored the marginal goal for PSG right before halftime.
In July 2019, Inter Milan finally beat PSG in China. Thilo Kehrer put PSG ahead by one goal after 41 minutes, but Samuele Longo tied the match in added time, and the game was decided via a penalty shootout, which the Nerazzurri won 6-5.
That game also marked the Inter Milan debuts of Diego Godin and Nicolo Barella. Antonio Conte and Thomas Tuchel were the coaches of Inter Milan and PSG at the time, respectively.
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