Ronaldo warns Inter of PSG threat but trusts in Lautaro Martinez’s ‘anger’ | OneFootball

Inter legend Ronaldo believes the Nerazzurri will face a tougher opponent than Barcelona in the Champions League final, but remains confident that Simone Inzaghi’s men will have their own weapons to rely upon.

The Brazilian admitted he was thrilled to see two of his former sides battle it out in what has been described as one of the most exciting Champions League semifinals in history, during which Inter proved to have ‘one thing more’ than their rivals.

“When you reach a Champions League final, it’s hard to say with certainty that one team deserved it more than the other,” Ronaldo told La Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview.

“It’s like trying to predict the outcome of the final and being sure you’re right. In the end, whoever wins is right — and in fact, Flick praised Inter.

MILAN, ITALY – MAY 06: Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona crosses the ball whilst under pressure from Alessandro Bastoni of FC Internazionale during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Semi Final Second Leg match between FC Internazionale Milano and FC Barcelona at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 06, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

“That night, Inter definitely had one thing more than Barcelona, and they’ll need it again in the final: the ability to stay locked into the game, almost with rage, until the very end.

“You just had to look at their faces. Acerbi’s eyes after he scored…

“I think Barcelona were an ‘ideal’ opponent to face in such a big match. And by ideal, I mean extremely strong up front — just like Inter are at the back — but let’s say a bit less cautious defensively.

“And Inter have players, not just the strikers, who are ruthless. In that sense, it might be tougher against PSG. But Inzaghi knows that.”

Ronaldo: PSG a ‘problem’ for Inter, Donnarumma ‘frustrating’ for Arsenal

The former striker identified PSG’s greatest strength in their ability to combine tactical balance with a high level of attacking threat—something that could pose a problem for Inter, much like Luis Enrique’s tactical intelligence.

“His teams are always balanced, and I think coaching in Italy helped him grow in terms of ideas and mentality,” Ronaldo continued.

“The problem for Inter is that PSG up front aren’t much weaker than Barcelona. A little, but not much. Then again, they’ve never had big budget issues, right?

“Experience isn’t about age on your ID card, it’s about the years you’ve spent at the top.

“PSG have players who’ve played lots of big games, at least as many as Inter’s. That’s why I think it’ll be a very balanced final. Hopefully a good one too — but we all hope that.”

Ronaldo of Inter Milan celebrates his goal against AC Milan during the Serie A match at the San Siro in Milan, Italy. Mandatory Credit: Claudio Villa /Allsport

When asked which PSG player the Nerazzurri should fear the most, the Brazilian pointed to a name that had particularly impressed him throughout the season.

“It’s always the one who shows up in the best mental shape, and I think someone like Dembele, who’s scored over 30 goals, will see this match as the one to define his season,” he added.

“He’ll play fired up and free at the same time. But I’m a huge fan of Barcola — one of those players who picks up the ball and you go, ‘Let’s see what he does now.’

“And you guys know Kvaratskhelia better than I do.”

Both sides reached the final thanks to their goalkeepers’ brilliance—something that could once again prove decisive in Munich.

“Donnarumma is the kind of keeper who, with his frame, blocks your view of the goal, takes away your shooting angles,” Ronaldo noted.

“I saw it in the two semifinals — it was frustrating for Arsenal.

“Sommer is more unpredictable: in a split second, he’s in a spot you didn’t expect. That save on Lamine Yamal at the end was incredible. Did you see the kid’s face? It said, ‘I don’t believe it.’

“Champions Leagues are won like that too — with a save in the semifinal. Or maybe in the final. We’ll see.”

Ronaldo sees PSG danger for Inter but backs Lautaro Martinez’s fire

However, Ronaldo is confident that Inter can pose their own problems for the French giants.

“At Inter, it’s not just Lautaro and Thuram scoring, because they play a different kind of football — the whole team ‘supports’ those two,” the Brazilian pointed out.

“Of course, knowing you can count on quality minutes from Taremi or maybe Arnautovic would be a big deal for Inzaghi.

MILAN, ITALY – MAY 06: Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale is challenged by Pau Cubarsi of FC Barcelona which results in referee Szymon Marciniak (not pictured) awarding a penalty to FC Internazionale during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Semi Final Second Leg match between FC Internazionale Milano and FC Barcelona at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 06, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

“Two things impressed me about Lautaro: the look in his eyes the night of Inter-Barça — he wasn’t fully fit, but it seemed like he wanted to devour the match.

“And I can imagine how much he’ll want to devour the ball in Munich now that he’s recovered physically. I expect to see that same face on all the other Inter players — from Barella on down.

“I saw his [Lautaro’s] pictures on Friday — he looked genuinely devastated about missing out on the Scudetto. And a captain knows how to turn anger into something positive. He can lift the team up by sharing that desire for redemption.”

But Lautaro’s strike partner, Marcus Thuram, has impressed Ronaldo just as much.

“I didn’t watch every match this season, just the big ones, but the last Champions League one at San Siro was enough: he seemed like the kind of striker any other striker would love to have alongside them,” the former forward said.

“I played against his father, an incredible defender — he must have passed on some of that mentality. A player like Marcus would have helped me score a ton of goals.”

Have Inter thrown away their chances of winning back-to-back Serie A titles?

“‘Thrown away’ is a harsh term, even a bit disrespectful to Napoli,” Ronaldo claimed.

“It’s true that, on paper, Inter were stronger. But it’s also true that Inter are in the Champions League final for the second time in three years: I not only didn’t win it — I never even made it to a final…”