Emery’s Super Cup Quest
Unai Emery, the manager of Aston Villa, is set to pursue his first Super Cup title when his team faces Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday in Salzburg. Emery has previously secured five Europa League titles, including one with Aston Villa in May, which ended the club’s 30-year trophy drought. However, the Super Cup has remained elusive for him.
This upcoming match marks Emery’s fourth attempt to win the competition. His previous three Super Cup appearances resulted in defeats. He lost to Real Madrid and Barcelona while managing Sevilla, and then to Chelsea on penalties in Dublin with Villarreal in 2021. A notable defeat was a 5-4 extra-time loss to Barcelona in 2015, which occurred a year after Real Madrid, featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, won the trophy against his Sevilla side.
Despite his past Super Cup record, Emery views the upcoming match as a significant opportunity. He stated that playing for trophies is a primary objective for professionals and that winning a trophy brings a special moment. Emery acknowledged PSG as favourites but expressed eagerness to test his team’s capabilities against them. Villa captain John McGinn reportedly reminded Emery of his previous Super Cup loss to Chelsea last week.
Team Preparations and Absences
The UEFA Super Cup match will take place at Salzburg Stadium in Austria. This annual fixture pits the recent winners of the Champions League against the Europa League champions. PSG, as Champions League winners, have an opportunity to become the second team in the modern era, after Real Madrid (2016 and 2017), to retain the Super Cup. PSG secured last year’s Super Cup by defeating Tottenham in a penalty shootout.
Both teams are navigating significant squad changes and player absences. Aston Villa will be without several key players. Emi Martinez, Ezri Konsa, and Ollie Watkins have not travelled with the squad, as Emery granted them a month off following their participation in the World Cup. Emery clarified that these absences are not transfer-related but are due to necessary rest periods after the season concluded on July 19. Other players like Morgan Rogers, Lucas Digne, and Youri Tielemans have been sold, while Amadou Onana is out with an injury until next year. Midfielder Boubacar Kamara is in the squad but is just returning from a serious knee injury sustained in January. Villa is also missing Leon Bailey (muscular) and Johan Manzambi (knee), with Alejandro Garnacho (facial) and John McGinn (knee) listed as doubtful.
For PSG, several players are doubtful due to fitness concerns, including Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Fabian Ruiz, Achraf Hakimi, Lucas Hernandez, and Warren Zaire-Emery. PSG’s pre-season was described as “a little short” by midfielder Vitinha. Despite this, Vitinha emphasized the team’s continued hunger for victories and trophies. Defender Marquinhos also stressed the importance of the competition for PSG to maintain their winning momentum.
Previous Encounters and Match Outlook
The upcoming Super Cup fixture is a repeat of a Champions League quarter-final from the 2024-25 season. In that encounter, Aston Villa nearly caused a major upset against PSG. After trailing 3-1 from the first leg at Parc des Princes and falling 5-1 behind on aggregate in Birmingham, Villa mounted a comeback, winning the second leg 3-2. They ultimately bowed out of the competition with a 5-4 aggregate score. This performance left a strong impression on PSG players, with Vitinha acknowledging Villa’s threat and the difficulty of that past test.
The match will feature a different-looking Villa side compared to their last encounter with PSG. Only a few starters from the Champions League quarter-final 18 months ago are expected to feature for Villa in Austria. This represents a significant change for a team known for its stability under Emery. McGinn expressed excitement about the “new Aston Villa,” highlighting the club’s structure, standards, and desire to achieve more.
The referee for the Super Cup will be Omar Artan, a Somali referee who was previously barred from officiating at the World Cup due to vetting concerns. UEFA’s decision to appoint Artan has been seen as a notable move within the football community. The match is scheduled for Wednesday, August 12, at 9pm (19:00 GMT).
According to pre-match simulations, PSG has been backed to win in normal time in 45 percent of 10,000 simulations, while Villa was given a 29.6 percent chance of victory in normal time.
Source: bbc.com