Inter Milan advanced to the UEFA Champions League final after a thrilling 4-3 victory over Barcelona in the second leg of the semifinals. Simone Inzaghi’s team will now face Paris Saint-Germain in the final for the title.

Javier Zanetti, Inter’s vice-president, gave an extensive interview to ESPN. Below are the highlights of his interview, starting with the Champions League semifinal against Barcelona.

The Champions League Semifinal Against Barcelona?

The semifinal was a match where, when Barcelona turned the game around and led 3-2, everyone thought it was over. But this team believed until the last moment. We had many exhausted players, but in that moment, fatigue seemed nonexistent. When we scored the fourth goal, Inter intelligently contained Barcelona—a team capable of creating chances at any moment. Sommer was outstanding, making incredible saves, like his fingertip stop against Yamal.

These are players who step up when needed. Acerbi also handled the situation well. The ball was in that area, Dumfries won a duel and sent it to the center, and Acerbi was there like a true No. 9 to score. Honestly, given the flow of the game, I thought it would be very difficult. Inter was exhausted, but football gives you these emotions, and this team always believes until the end.

We are a team that everyone respects. Finals are like this. Our group stage was excellent—we only lost one match in the last minute against Bayer Leverkusen. In the quarterfinals, we faced Bayern, a team traditionally strong in the Champions League. Then came Barcelona, a team with a unique identity, full of young and tough players who are hard to face because they can create magic.

When Inter attacks, they do it brilliantly—we scored seven goals against Barcelona. In these four years with Inzaghi, Inter has always been respected. For us, reaching the final was crucial. I think PSG is a strong team; I like Luis Enrique, who has given them identity, which is why they are here.

Lamine Yamal?

I saw him in the first leg—he still has a childlike face. He plays very well and has a bright future. Sometimes you can’t stop him because you don’t know where he’ll come from. You need help from midfielders and center-backs. In one-on-ones, he’ll likely beat you with his incredible technique and speed. He reminds me of Messi’s early days when you didn’t know which way he’d go. This boy shows great character—he always wants the ball, knows he has quality, and fears nothing.

Lautaro Martínez?

Lautaro had a terrible week—he didn’t know if he could play. After the match, he was crying. He showed great heart—he wanted to be there, he was present, and he did something extraordinary. He’s our captain, and his commitment is admirable.

Simone Inzaghi?

You must believe in the coach’s project and support him. When things go well, it’s easy, but you need time for his ideas to take hold. In tough moments, you must find solutions and push forward. You must trust the person you chose. Results can be misleading—as executives, we must analyze deeply. I always emphasize the path we took to reach trophies. If you persist and believe in the long-term project, opportunities arise. If Inter had been eliminated, what would we say? That we reached the semifinals with a great team. You analyze, see what was missing, and trust the person you bet on.

Transfer Market?

We’re still riding the wave of excitement, but soon it will be time to sit down and plan for next season. With the experience from these matches, we’ll certainly add new players—probably some important signings.