Kvaratskhelia Aims For Champions League Triumph After Spoiling Inter’s Scudetto Hopes

‎Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has already played a role in denying Inter Milan the Serie A title this season.

‎Now, he hopes to get the better of them again with Paris Saint-Germain in Saturday’s Champions League final.

‎The 24-year-old Kvaratskhelia moved to Paris in January from Napoli for a reported 70 million euros plus bonuses.

‎He is set to play a key role for Luis Enrique’s team against Inter in Munich, despite missing the French Cup final last weekend as a precaution due to a minor fitness issue.

‎It’s possible he was up late the night before celebrating his former club Napoli’s Serie A triumph.

‎Napoli edged out Inter in the final game of the season to secure the Scudetto, adding extra significance to the fixture.

‎Napoli’s second Italian league championship in three campaigns was claimed despite ‘Kvara’, one of the stars of their title in 2023, leaving the team in the middle of the season.

‎Two years ago, he made a significant impact at the club where Diego Maradona is an icon, earning the nickname ‘Kvaradona.’ He played a key role in the early part of this season under Antonio Conte, netting five goals in the first 10 Serie A matches.

‎By the end of the season, only four Napoli players scored more goals, including Scott McTominay.

‎Kvaratskhelia can, therefore, claim an Italian league winner’s medal for this season as well as one for Ligue 1 for his contribution towards PSG’s cruise to the domestic title.

‎However, his transfer to PSG has really aided the French side in Europe, where the extra competition for places in the attack has helped bring the best out of fellow forwards Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola, and Desire Doue.

‎The left winger, known for playing with his socks rolled down around his ankles, also fits seamlessly into coach Luis Enrique’s system, which requires attackers to contribute defensively.

‎”He is perfectly adaptable to our way of playing. He is versatile. He can go past players, and he can also defend which is essential because we need to be able to defend as 11 players and attack as 11 players,” Luis Enrique said in January.

‎”He fits into our idea of how to play football.”

‎An important Player in the PSG System

‎Kvaratskhelia has contributed six goals and six assists in 24 appearances for PSG.

‎His highlights include a stunning strike against Aston Villa in the Champions League quarter-final first leg and the pass that set up Dembele’s winning goal against Arsenal in the semi-finals.

‎PSG had begun to improve after a slow start to the season, coinciding with his arrival.

‎Luis Enrique believes Kvaratskhelia’s presence has been crucial in helping his team reach Munich.

‎”If you analyze in depth how we have improved defensively, it comes down to the way the attackers help out. The way they defend is exceptional, and the statistics show how many balls they recover for us,” the coach said last week.

‎The PSG coach faces a tough decision on which of his four main attackers to leave out, as Dembele, the top scorer with 33 goals, is expected to start.

‎This means one of the in-form Doue or the lively Barcola will need to sit on the bench if Kvaratskhelia is to secure a place in the starting XI.

‎But his experience of playing Inter could be invaluable, even if Simone Inzaghi’s side fared well when they came up against him at Napoli.

‎Kvaratskhelia won just once in six clashes against the Nerazzurri with his former club and has never scored against them.

‎”Technically, he’s a special player, so it won’t be easy,” insisted Denzel Dumfries, Inter’s Dutch right wing-back who is likely to be in direct opposition to Kvaratskhelia on the night.

‎Will Inter be celebrating at his expense this time, or will Kvaratskhelia add another winner’s medal to his collection on Saturday?