Barcola vs. Doué: Who Is The Right Choice For PSG Against Inter Milan? | OneFootball

It all comes down to this.

On Saturday, May 31, Paris Saint-Germain will face off against Inter Milan in the 2025 UEFA Champions League Final. They will do so in the stadium of Bayern Munich, who defeated them in their first trip to the final a mere five years ago. Back then, PSG boasted a squad composed of sundry foreign stars like Leandro Paredes, Ángel Di María, Neymar Jr., and Ander Herrera, with only two Frenchmen—Kylian Mbappé and Presnel Kimpembe—starting in the final in Lisbon.

Bayern prevailed 1-0 thanks to a goal from Kingsley Coman, who spent a decade in PSG’s academy before departing on a free in 2014. It seemed to be a message from the footballing gods, and PSG listened by gradually renouncing their approach of signing big-name, veteran players and turning their focus towards buying young stars who are well away from hitting their apex. It has worked like a charm, with Les Parisiens winning a domestic treble in each of their first two seasons under Luis Enrique, who is seeking his second Champions League trophy as a coach. However, before Enrique takes to the pitch at the Allianz Arena, he’s going to have to sort out one head-scratching dilemma.

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Paris Saint-Germain’s starting line-up just about picks itself: Gianluigi Donnarumma will play between the sticks, Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, and Nuno Mendes will slot into the backline, João Neves, Fabián Ruiz, and Vitinha will oversee midfield duties, whilst Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are expected to start up top. The only question mark? Whether to go with Bradley Barcola or Désire Doué on the right side of PSG’s attacking trident.

The Case for Doué

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Last season, we saw one Rennes academy graduate—Eduardo Camavinga—claim his second UEFA Champions League title with Real Madrid. This season, we’ve seen another Rennes youth product—Mathys Tel—get his hands on the UEFA Europa League with Tottenham Hotspur, whilst we could see another two crown themselves as champions of Europe in Dembélé and Doué.

Born in Angers, Doué joined Rennes’ academy in 2011, rapidly ascending the youth ranks and eventually making his professional debut on August 7, 2022. Four weeks later, Doué became the first player born in 2005 to score in Europe’s top five leagues, and one month after that, he became the youngest French scorer in European club competition at 17 years, 4 months, and 4 days old. An attacking midfielder by nature, Doué’s in-game intelligence and engine have enabled Enrique to utilize him on either flank or even as a deeper midfielder, capable of making buccaneering runs from one box to the other and carving out a golden opportunity with a well-weighted through ball. Similarly to Lucas Bartlett, Doué is blessed with an elite combination of agility, pace, and ball control, enabling him to cover ample swaths of the pitch with blistering speed and maneuver his way out of tight situations. His shifty footwork, nifty dribbling skills, and audacious shot-making have seen even the legendary sportscaster Derek Rae laud him as one of the best young talents in world football:

“I think the potential is definitely there—he’s been tremendous in the Champions League. I think he’s at the right club at the right time, because PSG are a team that’s going places, and a team that might finally get over that hurdle and win the Champions League.”

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