Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning European champions, arrive in Salzburg this Wednesday to face Europa League holders Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup. Luis Enrique’s squad, who secured their first-ever Super Cup trophy last year by overcoming a two-goal deficit against Tottenham Hotspur to win 4-3 on penalties in Udine, are now looking to join an elite group. Only AC Milan (1989-1990) and Real Madrid (2016-2017) have successfully retained the title, a feat PSG aims to replicate.
The French side enters the match fresh off a successful defense of their Champions League crown. After a grueling knockout campaign, they defeated Arsenal in the Budapest final, where Ousmane Dembele equalized following Kai Havertz’s opener, leading to a 4-3 penalty shootout victory. This achievement marked PSG as only the second club in the modern era to retain the Champions League, following Real Madrid’s three-year streak from 2016 to 2018. Luis Enrique, who has secured 12 trophies since his arrival in Paris, could claim his 13th title before the team shifts focus to Sunday’s Trophee des Champions match against Lens.
The two clubs are no strangers to high-stakes competition, having met in the 2024-25 Champions League quarter-finals. PSG won the first leg 3-1 in Paris, but Aston Villa mounted a fierce comeback in Birmingham, winning the return leg 3-2. Ultimately, PSG advanced with a 5-4 aggregate score. Villa used that disappointment as fuel to dominate the Europa League, overcoming Lille, Bologna, and Nottingham Forest before a commanding 3-0 victory over Freiburg in the Istanbul final, marking their first major trophy since 1996.
For Unai Emery, the match represents a chance to secure his first UEFA Super Cup after three previous runner-up finishes with Sevilla and Villarreal. One of those losses came against Luis Enrique’s Barcelona in 2015, a high-scoring 5-4 thriller in Tbilisi. Conversely, Aston Villa holds a perfect record in the competition, having won their only previous appearance in 1982 by overcoming a 1-0 first-leg deficit against Barcelona to win 3-1 on aggregate.
Wednesday’s fixture serves as the competitive season opener for Villa before they begin their Premier League campaign against Brighton. The club has seen significant roster turnover, with departures including Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans. New arrivals like Joao Gomes, Alejandro Garnacho, Modou Keba Cisse, and Johan Manzambi are expected to bolster the squad, though Manzambi will miss the match due to a knee injury.
PSG’s preparations have been hampered by fitness concerns following the World Cup. Players including Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Fabian Ruiz, Achraf Hakimi, Lucas Hernandez, and Warren Zaire-Emery are all considered doubtful. While summer signing Maghnes Akliouche could feature, Senny Mayulu and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are also in contention for starting roles.
Villa’s injury list is equally concerning; Amadou Onana and Leon Bailey are sidelined with knee and muscular issues, respectively. John McGinn is a doubt with a knee complaint, while Ezri Konsa, Emiliano Martinez, and Ollie Watkins face late fitness tests. Garnacho is also flagged as doubtful due to a facial injury, though Boubacar Kamara is available to potentially partner Joao Gomes in midfield.
The projected lineup for PSG features Safonov in goal, supported by Zabarnyi, Marquinhos, Pacho, and Mendes, with Neves, Vitinha, and Dro Fernandez in the midfield, and an attack led by Mbaye, Mayulu, and Kvaratskhelia.
Aston Villa is expected to start with Bizot in goal, a defense of Cash, Lindelof, Torres, and Maatsen, a midfield pairing of Gomes and Kamara, and an attacking unit featuring McGinn, Buendia, Garnacho, and Abraham.
After navigating a demanding knockout route, PSG faced Arsenal in the final in Budapest, where Ousmane Dembele cancelled out Kai Havertz’s opener before Les Parisiens prevailed 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw.
One of those defeats came against Luis Enrique’s Barcelona in 2015, when the Catalan side edged a remarkable 5-4 contest after extra time in Tbilisi.
The French side’s previous encounters with Aston Villa suggest another entertaining contest could be in store.
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