For many Inter Milan players, the Final in Munich could be the career peak

Reaching the Champions League final is the ultimate dream for every footballer, and for some Inter Milan players, it could mark the perfect career conclusion

Reaching the Champions League final is the dream of every professional footballer: a unique opportunity to make history and add prestige to their career—an opportunity that may be unrepeatable for those who are no longer in the prime of their youth. 

This is the situation at Inter Milan, where five players are over 35. As Corriere dello Sport via Fcinter1908.it writes:
"For these players, the final could be the peak of their careers, and it might indeed be their last chance to lift the Champions League. 

There will be five players over 35 in Inter Milan’s squad tonight, all with the possibility of facing their last chance to raise the Champions League trophy. 

These players are Acerbi (37), Sommer (36), Mkhitaryan (36), Arnautovic (36), and Darmian (35), but specifically, only Austrian forward Arnautovic will have his contract expire at the end of this season, while the others have another year with Inter Milan.

While other players in the squad may have more opportunities, for these five, it might be their 'last dance,' and both the eve of the match and the game itself take on a different significance. 

There’s a weight to it and the firm belief that such a trophy could crown their entire careers. 

Additionally, three of these five will start the match: Sommer in goal, Acerbi in defense, and Mkhitaryan in midfield. 

Arnautovic and Darmian may have a chance to come on as substitutes, but they are the only two in this exclusive group of over-35s to have already won the Champions League. 

However, they did so as mere participants—Arnautovic with Inter Milan (2009/10) and Darmian with Milan (2006/07)—and this time, they could achieve it with a much more significant contribution during this journey."

A “Last Dance” for five over-35 Inter Milan players in the UCL Final

For Sommer, Acerbi, and Mkhitaryan, this will be their first time in a Champions League final, making the night even more special. 

The Swiss goalkeeper will look to repeat the miracles that blocked Barcelona’s path, while Acerbi’s defensive presence will be crucial in handling a dynamic attacker like Dembélé. 

Prior to this season, Sommer had reached the quarter-finals with Bayern Munich, while Acerbi and Mkhitaryan are returning to the final two years after the disappointment in Istanbul, where Mkhitaryan had only come on for the last six minutes.

For all five players, this provides extra motivation to give their all against PSG, with the goal of boarding the European triumph train—a chance that may not come again before hanging up their boots.