Paris Saint-Germain are finally kings of Europe — crowned Champions League winners for the first time after a stunning 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in the final. It was a night of history for the French giants and the most one-sided final in tournament history.

PSG became the first French club since Marseille in 1993 to win Europe’s most prestigious club trophy, and only the 24th team ever to lift it. But as champagne flowed in Munich, bigger questions loomed over the competition itself.

A New Format, Familiar Winner

On paper, the revamped Champions League — now featuring 36 teams and a league-style group phase — promises broader representation and more exciting matchups.

But with PSG’s starting XI valued at £403 million, compared to Inter’s £137 million, the financial gap between contenders tells a different story. The new format may offer more games and goals, but it also seems to favour the continent’s richest clubs — eerily similar to the proposed but scrapped European Super League.

PSG’s Victory: A Footballing Milestone or a Financial Certainty?

“Everyone criticised us and doubted us. It’s taken 14 years of hard work,” said PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, speaking to Canal Plus. “Now the objective is to win again.”

PSG’s journey has been long — but well-funded. Since Qatar Sports Investments bought the club in 2011, they’ve spent an estimated €2.3 billion (£2.1bn) on transfer fees alone (Transfermarkt). Their wage bill is among Europe’s top three, says football finance analyst Kieran Maguire.

“It’s romantic in the sense they finally won it, and the football was brilliant,” Maguire told BBC Sport. “But financially, you’d expect them to be in the final.”

First-Time Winners, Familiar Patterns

PSG follow Manchester City, who won their first Champions League in 2023 under the ownership of Abu Dhabi’s City Football Group. According to Deloitte’s Money League, City are now the second richest club in the world, just behind Real Madrid — and one spot ahead of PSG.

When first-time winners come from state-backed or ultra-wealthy ownership models, it raises questions about competitive balance. Is the Champions League becoming a closed shop for the super-rich?

Super League in Disguise?

The updated format was introduced after the dramatic collapse of the European Super League in 2021, when fans, players, and politicians across the continent pushed back hard against a breakaway elite tournament.

But with the same financial giants now dominating Europe’s “open” competition, critics argue the Champions League is morphing into a Super League in all but name — one where deep pockets determine destiny.

So, What’s Next?

As PSG celebrate their long-awaited triumph, the broader debate over the soul of European football intensifies. Can the Champions League maintain its reputation as a merit-based competition? Or has it already tipped too far in favour of financial superpowers?

For now, PSG’s players are deservedly champions. But for many fans, the beauty of football lies in unpredictability — and that may be slipping away.