Paris Saint-Germain successfully defended their UEFA Super Cup title on Wednesday, defeating Aston Villa 2-1 in Salzburg, Austria. This victory marks the first time a club has claimed consecutive Super Cup trophies since Real Madrid achieved the feat in 2016 and 2017. The match, which serves as the traditional curtain-raiser for the European football season, pitted the reigning Champions League winners, PSG, against the Europa League titleholders, Aston Villa.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring for the French side with a powerful strike in the 20th minute. Villa responded through 17-year-old debutant Brian Madjo, who leveled the score with a volley. Madjo, who had recently cleared a registration dispute with FIFA, became the youngest player to both start and score in a UEFA Super Cup final. The winning goal arrived in the 61st minute when Desire Doue converted a pass from Ousmane Dembele. Although the play was initially flagged for offside, a video review confirmed that Matty Cash had kept Doue onside, allowing the goal to stand.
The fixture was officiated by Somali referee Omar Artan, who had previously been barred by the United States from working at the FIFA World Cup due to unsubstantiated claims regarding alleged connections to “terrorist” organizations. UEFA, in a move highlighting growing friction with FIFA, selected Artan for the match, citing his status as Africa’s top-rated referee from the previous season. The appointment occurred amid broader tensions between the two governing bodies, particularly regarding UEFA’s opposition to FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s recent proposals to sell interests in the World Cup.
Artan issued three yellow cards during the contest, all of which were directed at Aston Villa players. For PSG, the win represents the first of six potential trophies they are targeting this season. The match underscored the deepening divide between European football leadership and the global governing body, as UEFA continues to assert its autonomy in high-profile officiating selections.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s powerfully struck opener in the 20th minute was cancelled out by a volley from Brian Madjo, a 17-year-old striker making his competitive debut for Villa days after getting approval to play followi
Comments