Watch: Inter must not give PSG players space in Champions League final, says 2010 treble winner Maicon

Inter will face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final, aiming to secure their fourth title in the prestigious competition.

Maicon, a key member of Inter’s treble-winning side in 2010, has offered insights for Simone Inzaghi’s team to counter PSG’s threats, particularly highlighting the importance of collective play and tight defensive organisation against players like Ousmane Dembele, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Desire Doue.

“It’s going to be a tough final but Inter need to very organised in defence and give little space to players such as Ousmane Dembele, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue,” Maicon told the Times of Malta.

“Similarities between the 2010 team and this year’s? Certainly pride.

“This team had lost three games before facing Barcelona, but then managed to play their game, score goals, and even progress into the next round. It was very impressive.”

Former Brazilian international Maicon, who enjoyed a distinguished career, was the special guest at the Inter Club Gozo’s 10th-anniversary celebrations last weekend, accompanied by Stefania Marchionna.

During his trip, Maicon conducted a training session for the Gozitan U/13 boys at Gozo Stadium, imparting his expertise and experience to the young talents.

Maicon’s career highlights include winning the FIFA Confederations Cup twice with Brazil and multiple Copa América victories.

At Inter, he played a pivotal role in securing four Serie A titles between 2007 and 2010, along with two Coppa Italia trophies in 2010 and 2011, and three Super Cup triumphs in 2006, 2008, and 2010.

However, the pinnacle of Maicon’s career was winning the UEFA Champions League in 2009-10, completing a historic treble alongside the FIFA Club World Cup in 2010.

“Treble? It was a significant milestone, both personally and for my team-mates,” Maicon reminisced.

“We faced tough matches, like in Kiev against Dynamo where we qualified in the final minutes to the Round of 16. Another memorable challenge was the semi-final return leg against Barcelona at the Nou Camp, particularly after Thiago Motta’s red card. We showed immense pride, and these matches will remain in history forever for us.

“Similarities between 2010 and this year? In this year’s semi-final, there were more goals; in ours, not so many. Inter demonstrated maturity and quality with numerous important goals and actions, showcasing young players with promising futures.”

Maicon, capped 76 times by Brazil, also shared his thoughts on the evolution of his former position in modern football.

“The role of full-back? It’s more about tactical changes in football than the position itself,” Maicon explained.

“Back in my days, I had more freedom to attack and do what I wanted. Today, many teams play with three forwards, leaving less space for the full-back to advance.”