The Japan Times - Kvaratskhelia eyes double success at Inter's expense in Champions League final

The 24-year-old Kvaratskhelia moved to Paris in January from Napoli for a reported 70 million euros ($79.2m) plus bonuses.

He is set to have a key role to play for Luis Enrique's side against Inter in Munich, despite missing last weekend's French Cup final victory over Reims as a precaution due to a minor fitness issue.

Perhaps he had been up late the previous night celebrating his former club's Serie A triumph, as Napoli pipped Inter to the Scudetto in their final game of the season.

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.

Instrumental two years ago when he earned the nickname 'Kvaradona' at the club where Diego Maradona is an icon, he played a pivotal part in the early weeks of this season under Antonio Conte, scoring five goals in the first 10 Serie A games -- only four Napoli players finished the campaign with 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 attack has helped bring the best out of fellow forwards Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue.

The left-winger who loves to play with his socks rolled down around his ankles also fits perfectly into coach Luis Enrique's system, which demands that the attackers do their bit to help the team 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."

- Key for PSG already -

Kvaratskhelia has so far contributed six goals and six assists in 24 appearances for PSG, including one magnificent strike against Aston Villa in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final and the pass to set up Dembele's winning goal away to Arsenal in the semis.

PSG had already started to turn a corner following a sluggish start this season when the former Rubin Kazan player arrived, but Luis Enrique is convinced Kvaratskhelia's presence has been essential in his team getting to Munich.

"If you analyse 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 boss still faces a difficult decision over which one of his four main attackers to leave out of the front three on the night -- 33-goal top scorer Dembele is certain to start, meaning one of the in-form Doue or the lively Barcola will have to drop to the bench if Kvaratskhelia is to be 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.

Can Inter this time be celebrating at his expense or will Kvaratskhelia get his hands on another winner's medal on Saturday?

K.Yamaguchi--JT