Paris Saint-Germain arrives in Austria for the UEFA Super Cup with the goal of becoming only the third club to retain the trophy, following AC Milan in 1989 and 1990 and Real Madrid in 2016 and 2017. Luis Enrique’s side enters the match as the reigning Champions League titleholders, having defeated Arsenal 4-3 on penalties in Budapest last season. That victory made PSG only the second club in the modern era to retain the Champions League, matching Real Madrid’s three-year streak from 2016 to 2018. Luis Enrique has collected 12 trophies since taking charge in Paris and is aiming for his 13th before PSG faces Lens in the Trophee des Champions this Sunday.
Aston Villa enters the contest as Europa League winners, having defeated Freiburg 3-0 in Istanbul last season to secure their first major trophy since 1996. This victory earned Unai Emery a record-extending fifth Europa League title. Despite their success, Emery is still chasing his first UEFA Super Cup, having finished as runner-up on three occasions with Sevilla and Villarreal. One of those defeats occurred in 2015 against Luis Enrique’s Barcelona, where the Catalan side won a 5-4 thriller after extra time in Tbilisi. Conversely, Aston Villa holds a perfect record in the competition, having won their only previous appearance in 1982 by overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit against Barcelona to win 3-1 on aggregate.
The two clubs share recent history, having met in the 2024-25 Champions League quarter-finals. PSG won the first leg 3-1 in Paris before Villa won the return fixture 3-2 in Birmingham, resulting in a 5-4 aggregate win for the French side. Villa has undergone significant changes this summer, with key players Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans departing. The squad has been reinforced by new arrivals including Joao Gomes, Alejandro Garnacho, Modou Keba Cisse, and Johan Manzambi, who joined from Freiburg. This match marks Villa's first competitive outing of the new season before they begin their Premier League campaign against Brighton.
PSG’s preparations have been impacted by the fitness of several players following the World Cup. Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Fabian Ruiz, Achraf Hakimi, Lucas Hernandez, and Warren Zaire-Emery are all considered doubtful. Summer signing Maghnes Akliouche could be involved, while Senny Mayulu and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are pushing for starts. Villa also faces injury concerns; Johan Manzambi is out with a knee injury, Amadou Onana is sidelined with a knee problem, and Leon Bailey is unavailable due to a muscular injury. John McGinn is doubtful with a knee issue, while Ezri Konsa, Emiliano Martinez, Ollie Watkins, and Alejandro Garnacho face late fitness checks. Boubacar Kamara is available and could partner Joao Gomes in midfield.
The projected lineups are as follows: PSG: Safonov; Zabarnyi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Dro Fernandez; Mbaye, Mayulu, Kvaratskhelia. Aston Villa: Bizot; Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen; Gomes, Kamara; McGinn, Buendia, Garnacho; Abraham.
