Thuram and Inzaghi bidding to better family members by winning the Champions League

By Canadian Press on May 26, 2025.

MILAN (AP) — Marcus Thuram is aiming to go one better than his more lauded father. By winning the Champions League.

Lilian Thuram enjoyed a trophy-laden career with Monaco, Parma, Juventus and Barcelona and helped France to the 1988 World Cup.

However, one trophy eluded one of the all-time great defenders, the Champions League. The closest Lilian got was the 2003 final where his Juventus lost to AC Milan.

Lilian’s son Marcus is all but certain to spearhead Inter Milan’s attack against Paris Saint-Germain in Saturday’s Champions League final in Munich.

“I hope I’ll get to explain to him how to win the Champions League,” Marcus said with a laugh on Monday.

Marcus has gone from strength to strength in his two seasons at Inter, since joining as a free agent from Borussia Mönchengladbach.

He seamlessly replaced Romelu Lukaku alongside Lautaro Martínez and the duo swiftly developed into Serie A’s most dangerous strike pairing.

The Italian media replaced the nickname “LuLa” — from the first letters of Lukaku and Lautaro — to “ThuLa.”

Thuram set a new personal record of 14 league goals in this campaign, and added seven assists. The 27-year-old also netted four times in the Champions League.

“To play alongside a player like Lautaro Martínez is easy for any player,” Thuram said. “He’s our captain, he’s our leader. He helped me a lot since I came into Inter and it’s a great joy to share the pitch with him.”

Thuram is not the only person at Inter looking to best a family member. His coach, Simone Inzaghi, also wants to achieve something his big brother never managed.

While Simone Inzaghi played on the star-studded Lazio team that won Serie A in 2000, Filippo “Superpippo” Inzaghi gained bigger headlines by helping Juventus and Milan to domestic and European titles — including two Champions League triumphs — and Italy to the 2006 World Cup trophy.

However, Filippo has spent most of his managerial career in Serie B, although he’s set to face Simone next season after “Pippo” steered Pisa back to Serie A for the first time in 34 years.

Simone was asked at Inter’s media day ahead of the Champions League final whether it was more important to win the trophy as a coach or a player. The normally serious coach laughed in delight at the question.

“Let’s hope that there is also this problem of having to decide that,” he said. “And then, well, Pippo and I will ask our parents what was the greatest satisfaction for them.”

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Daniella Matar, The Associated Press