Saturday's Champions League final pits PSG's Ousmane Dembele against Inter's Lautaro Martinez in massive match
The two strikers have each thrived for their teams despite taking very different paths to the top of the game

Happy UEFA Champions League final weekend! Finalists Paris Saint-Germain and Inter are officially in Munich with final preparations underway for the season finale of a very entertaining edition of the Champions League. I'm Pardeep Cattry with the latest with little more than 24 hours to go until the big game.
📺 Footy fix
All times U.S./Eastern
Friday, May 30
🇪🇺 UWNL: England vs. Portugal, 2:45 p.m. ➡️ CBS Sports Network, Paramount+
Saturday, May 31
🏆 UCL final: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Inter, 3 p.m. ➡️ CBS, Paramount+
🌎 Friendly: USWNT vs. China, 5:30 p.m. ➡️ TBS
🇺🇸 MLS: Inter Miami vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m. ➡️ MLS Season Pass
🌎 CWC play-in: LAFC vs. Club America, 10:30 p.m. ➡️ DAZN
Sunday, June 1
🇺🇸 MLS: Seattle Sounders vs. Minnesota United, 6 p.m. ➡️ MLS Season Pass
🏆 CCC final: Cruz Azul vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, 9 p.m. ➡️ FS1
⚽ The Forward Line
🇫🇷 Ousmane Dembele's time to shine?

Paris Saint-Germain's unlikely run to the Champions League final is not without their unlikely hero – Ousmane Dembele. The 28-year-old has spent the majority of his career mixed in alongside Europe's elites, be it with Barcelona from 2017 to 2023 or a spot on the 2018 France team that won the World Cup. He has never really been the star of the show, though, developing a reputation as a sporadic goalscorer, never scoring more than 14 goals in a single campaign. This season, everything is finally coming up Dembele.
The France international enters his first-ever Champions League final with 33 goals and 11 assists in all competitions this season, making this easily the best campaign of his career. An important tactical shift from manager Luis Enrique means Dembele is no longer a sidekick but rather the focal point of PSG's attack, a role that is finally getting the best out of the player, as James Benge writes.
- Benge: "Since moving to the center forward role in January, the 28-year-old has been irrepressible. In 19 games leading the PSG line since the turn of the year, Dembele has 18 goals and four assists, averaging a ludicrous 5.15 shots and 0.98 non-penalty expected goals per 90 minutes. … In 10 of the biggest games of PSG's season – their last 10 in the Champions League – they have gotten eight goals and three assists from Dembele. Without their No.10 taking the step up from talented but inconsistent star to match-winner on the biggest stage, it is impossible to imagine PSG in final number two."
As a result, Demble arrives in Munich as perhaps the most important player in Saturday's Champions League final. A crowning achievement is on the line in the Champions League final, as well as the subsequent prestige that comes along with it, both as part of a collective and on an individual basis. PSG have the chance to become Europe's first treble winners since Manchester City did it two years ago, and the first ever from France, while Dembele has played himself into the Ballon d'Or conversation with a few months left on the clock.
Special guest Tom Cruise joins

🔗 Midfield Link Play
🔵⚫ Lautaro Martinez targets more silverware

Saturday's Champions League final will be a display in contrasts in many ways, including the players each side will be counting on to deliver in the biggest match of the season. While Dembele embraces the spotlight for the first time, Inter's Lautaro Martinez has been here before, even if his journey as a star talisman has been a winding one.
Martinez has collected World Cup and Copa America winners' medals with Argentina and played in Inter's last trip to the Champions League final two years ago, though he has not always been a focal point during those triumphs. Martinez was not at his best during the World Cup and only took two shots during the 2023 Champions League final, though it was the type of thing that allowed him to successfully complete a redemption arc at the 2024 Copa America. A slow start to the 2024-25 campaign with Inter, though, did not diminish his role with the Italian side and he enters Saturday's final as a crucial part of their game plan.
The 27-year-old couples his growing reputation as a factor in big games with the experience that exemplifies this Inter team, especially against a PSG side that is still fairly new to this type of match. Martinez is also a perfect fit for Simone Inzaghi's current iteration of the team, as James Benge writes.
- Benge: "The Argentine has scored in each round of the knockouts so far, making a remarkable comeback from a muscle injury to play and star in the unforgettable 4-3 win over Barcelona in the second leg of the semifinals. The 27-year-old typifies this Inter side: battle-tested in the biggest moments, perhaps on the down slope after so many years of top-level performances but with the nous and intelligence to deliver in the biggest moments. His understanding of how to play in a two-striker system with Marcus Thuram will pose questions for PSG that they will rarely have faced at the top level of European football, and Martinez offers no hint of doubt when looking ahead to a second final in three years."
On Saturday, he has the chance to add to a list of career achievements that is undeniably impressive and perhaps cap off an era of revitalization for Inter on a high note. There is plenty to suggest that Inzaghi will be on his way out before the new season, though Martinez and his teammates have an opportunity to keep Inter in good standing for whatever awaits them. If Martinez stays in this type of form, though, a win on Saturday will only be more proof that he provides a strong foundation for them to rebuild upon.
🔗 Top Stories
🏆 UCL final preview: Here's a breakdown at the tactical profiles of both Paris Saint-Germain and Inter, plus a look at one of the surprise heroes of Inter's run to the final, Francesco Acerbi.
🇮🇹 Managerial musical chairs: In a surprise move, Antonio Conte will stick around at Napoli after winning the Serie A title, while Massimiliano Allegri is close to taking charge of AC Milan.
❓ Ronaldo Al-Hilal move: Cristiano Ronaldo might move from Al-Nassr to their crosstown rivals Al-Hilal to play in the Club World Cup, a move that is not going over so well with his current club.
🔵 Chelsea win UECL: Chelsea came from behind to beat Real Betis in the Conference League final, becoming the first team to win the Champions League, Europa League and the Conference League. Plus, Cole Palmer followed up his player of the match display with some attention-grabbing moments post-game.
💰 The Back Line
💵 Best bets
- UEFA Champions League final: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Inter, 3 p.m.
💰 THE PICK: First half to end in a draw (+105) – This may be an open match, but that doesn't mean that it will get off to a fast start. Even if a team does score in the first half, it's likely that the other team will find a way for an equalizer. Most likely, they'll feel each other out in the first 15 minutes or so before the game begins to open up with the keepers and defenders being called into action before the second half. –Chuck Booth
For more picks, predictions, expert tips and the latest betting news, don't miss out on CBSSports.com's betting home page.
📺 Don't miss it

📺 What's on CBS Sports Golazo Network
☀️ Morning Footy (10 a.m. ET): A special edition of Morning Footy, the network's flagship morning show with highlights, interviews and the biggest soccer storylines, will kick off Golazo Network's coverage of the big game. Morning Footy is also available in podcast form, so you'll never have to miss an episode.
🏆 Champions League Today (1 p.m. ET): Kate Scott hosts pregame studio coverage alongside analysts Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards. Coverage from Allianz Arena in Munich begins at 1 p.m. ET on Paramount+ and CBS Sports Golazo Network, followed by coverage on the CBS and Paramount+ beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET.
⚽ The Champions Club (5:30 p.m. ET): Poppy Miller, Mike Grella, Nigel Reo-Coker, Tony Meola and Jimmy Conrad for live reactions and match analysis as they break down all the action from the Champions League final.
🥅 Scoreline (7 p.m. ET): Scoreline is the place for fans to catch up on all the biggest news and results impacting global football, match highlights from the top soccer competitions and all the can't-miss goals from the day's action, airing seven days a week.
📺 How to watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network is a free 24/7 channel exclusively dedicated to offering unparalleled coverage of all the top soccer competitions worldwide. You can stream for free on the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV and Paramount+.
















