Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa meet in Salzburg on Wednesday evening for the European Super Cup, a fixture that opens the new season with a clash between the continent's two most successful cup competitors of the past year. PSG arrive as Champions League holders after edging Tottenham on penalties last season, having gone on to eliminate Arsenal in the same fashion to reach and win another final. Villa, meanwhile, secured their spot in Austria by thrashing Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final, ending a long wait for major European silverware and giving manager Unai Emery a fourth continental crown at club level, though the Super Cup itself has eluded him so far.
The occasion carries extra significance for Emery, who won the Ligue 1 title with PSG in 2017-18 before departing for spells elsewhere and eventually taking charge at Villa Park. There is also a personal subplot involving Lucas Digne, who rejoined PSG only days before the match and could make his second debut for the French champions from the bench, having previously spent time on Villa's books.
For the line-ups, Villa handed debuts to two new arrivals: João Gomes, a £38m signing from Wolves, started in central midfield, while 17-year-old forward Brian Madjo, standing at six feet four, led the line in attack. PSG countered with their own big-money newcomer, Maghnes Akliouche, signed from Monaco for around £43m, deployed on the right wing. Bradley Barcola, linked heavily with both Liverpool and Arsenal this summer, was named among the substitutes.
Speaking before kick-off, PSG captain Marquinhos stressed that recent success would not make Wednesday's task any easier. "We know how hard it is," he said. "Just because we've won things these past seasons, that doesn't mean it's easy. We know there'll be plenty of obstacles. We're hungry, we want to win. Trophies are an opportunity. Personally, I want more, and each player in the squad is like that. We've all worked to get here, to arrive in the best condition. The team will be doing everything they can to secure victory."
PSG manager Luis Enrique, whose side have collected nine trophies over the past two seasons, acknowledged the growing burden of expectation. "We set out ambitious objectives and we continue to do so," he said. "In this moment it's a different scenario because everyone thinks we can win again. But we need to show our level on the pitch. If you look back in history it's difficult to find a team that wins all the time – but that's what we are striving for." Enrique also admitted his preparation had been disrupted by players returning late from international duty at the World Cup, saying it had been "a surreal situation" with barely a week of training together before the game. He declined to comment directly on speculation surrounding Barcola's future amid reported Liverpool interest, saying only that he preferred to focus on his squad as a whole.
Emery, for his part, spoke of the pride and responsibility attached to representing Villa on such a stage, with around 6,000 supporters travelling from Birmingham to Salzburg. "A trophy is something that can give us a special moment, and to play for trophies, as a professional, is our objective," he said, while conceding that PSG were the clear favourites. He also reflected on Villa's broader progress under his stewardship, pointing to their improved Premier League finishes in recent seasons and the club's ongoing efforts to expand Villa Park's capacity towards 50,000.
Kick-off in Salzburg was scheduled for 8pm BST, with Omar Artan refereeing, as both clubs looked to begin their campaigns with continental honours.
Based on reporting from The Independent and The Guardian.