Brian Madjo, 17, electrifies Villa despite Super Cup defeat by PSG
Brian Madjo, 17, electrifies Villa despite Super Cup defeat by PSG
John Percy Thu, August 13, 2026 at 7:04 AM UTC
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Brian Madjo terrorised the PSG defence before scoring his goal - Aston Villa/Getty ImagesParis St-Germain 2 Aston Villa 1
Unai Emery’s Aston Villa 2.0 remain under construction but from the wreckage of a difficult summer there has emerged a potential star for the future.
Emery may have now suffered four successive defeats in the Super Cup, yet the big positive from a balmy night in Salzburg was the performance of teenage forward Brian Madjo. Aged 17 years and 212 days, Madjo became the youngest player to start and score in this continental showpiece, just over a week after he was given permission to play for his club.
Signed from Metz for £10m in January, Madjo had been prevented from playing because of Fifa’s rules on the international transfer of minors. Villa’s appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to have him registered was upheld on August 4 and what a prospect he appears.
Born in Enfield but raised in Luxembourg, there has been a huge buzz around him since his arrival in the new year.
Paris St-Germain have produced an abundance of talented teenagers over the years and Madjo did not look out of place here.Désiré Doué’s second-half strike secured PSG the Super Cup – contested by the winners of the Champions League and Europa League – for the second successive year, but Emery will have seen enough to give him renewed confidence.
His team played with all the resilience and bravery that has become a trademark, epitomised by the powerful Madjo and another teenager in midfielder George Hemmings.
Emery said: “Brian has scored goals for us in pre-season and has shown his capacity to work in our idea. I am so happy because the young players were involved in our work and not playing last season.
“Of course there is still work to do but they showed they can play with us. They have responded fantastically and will then feel the confidence. With a loss you can never be happy but overall I am proud of all the players and everything we’ve done. Some changes will be needed but we’re confident.”
This was a fine Villa performance to silence the doom merchants who have been fearing a troubled season. After the painful sales of Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne, Villa are clearly a team in transition. They are operating under restrictions to comply with Uefa’s financial rules and there is still the possibility of another important player leaving before the transfer deadline day.
England centre-back Ezri Konsa remains a priority target for Premier League champions Arsenal, and was absent here. Konsa, Emiliano Martínez and Ollie Watkins were all granted extended leave after their participation in the World Cup, which has done little to ease the fears of supporters over more departures. The trio will return to training this weekend.
While some outsiders are predicting a difficult season for Villa, do not bother telling Emery. He has turned putting noses out of joint into an art form since sweeping into Villa Park and with him around anything feels possible.
The Basque remains optimistic about the future and those hopes will only have been underlined by the performance of Madjo. He bullied PSG centre-back Willian Pacho for much of the evening and even managed to steal the limelight from PSG’s magician Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Despite another Super Cup defeat, Unai Emery can feel encouraged by what he saw - Anna Szilagyi/Shutterstock
Hemmings, 19, has emerged from the academy and already made a real impression on his manager. Despite the high regard for those youngsters, this always appeared likely to be a tough proposition against a full-strength PSG team. Indeed, before this game in Salzburg only 39 per cent of Europa League winners have beaten their Champions League rivals in this fixture.
The French champions did start slowly, but had been cranking up the pressure before taking a 20th minute lead with a spectacular strike from their Georgian superstar.
Doué forced a save from Marco Bizot and, after Villa failed to clear, the loose ball landed in the path of Kvaratskhelia, who cut inside on the left to his right foot before smashing a shot into the roof of the net.
It was a strike of sheer power and accuracy, catching Bizot by surprise. PSG briefly appeared in control, but Villa responded superbly. In 17 minutes they created six goal-scoring chances before the outstanding Madjo finally made one of them count.
Before his goal, he had narrowly missed the target twice with a pair of headers from John McGinn’s crosses. Villa also had another opportunity 10 minutes before half-time, when Pacho’s mistake allowed Hemmings to run from the centre circle unopposed. As he entered the penalty area, the PSG defenders had raced back to recover and a promising moment ended with Madjo curling a shot wide.
PSG goalkeeper Matvey Safonov then produced his first save just before the break, turning away Boubacar Kamara’s close-range header. Villa did carve out another golden chance when Madjo’s strength took hm past Pacho, but he hit the outside of the post. Madjo’s moment did come, though, as he once again bullied Pacho to divert a McGinn cross into the roof of the net.
Villa were buoyant, but it was PSG who scored the crucial second goal after Doué was awarded the goal following a VAR review. Doué was sent clear down the right by substitute Ousmane Dembélé and confidently beat Bizot, with reviews concluding that he had been played onside by Matty Cash.
The game was refereed by Omar Artan, the Somali referee who was supposed to officiate at the World Cup but was denied entry to the United States.
It became rather fractious as time began to tick away, with McGinn booked after complaining over the placement of a free-kick. Madjo was replaced by Tammy Abraham with 17 minutes left and this will be an evening he will never forget.
Match details
PSG (4-3-3): Safonov, Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes (Hernandez 75), Neves (Ruiz 75), Vitinha, Emery, Akliouche, (Dembele 45), Doue (Mayulu 87), Kvaratskhelia (Buraldo 88).Substitutes: Chevalier (g), Zabarnyi, Digne, Fernandez, Barcola, Ndjantou, Mbaye.Villa (4-2-3-1): Bizot, Cash, Lindelof, Torres (Mings 80), Maatsen, Kamara (Bogarde 72), Gomes (Barkley 79), McGinn 7 (Alysson 73), Buendia, Hemmings, Madjo (Abraham 72).Substitutes: Wright (g), Asemota (g), Barkley, Nedeljkovic, Cisse, Rowe, Burrowes, Lynch.Booked: Gomes, Torres, McGinn.Referee: Omar Artan (Somalia).
10:09pmVideo
Trophy lift
After the officials and the Aston Villa players receive their medals, it is time for the 2026 Uefa Super Cup winners PSG to receive their medals. The last man up is their captain Marquinhos, who has won a staggering 40 trophies during his time at PSG. He takes the trophy from Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin and lifts it above his head alongside his teammates.
PSG captain Marquinhos lifts the Uefa Super Cup trophy - Alex Grimm/Getty Images
10:07pm
Moves on the way?
Both Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye have been heavily linked with moves to Liverpool this summer and neither player came off the bench for PSG tonight. Does that indicate that potentially those moves could be close, with neither played risked of picking up an injury?
10:05pm
More silverware for the Spaniard
10:04pm
Desire Doue, who scored PSG’s winner tonight
10:02pm
Preparations continue
Aston Villa will take on Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday in their final game of pre-season before they take on Brighton on the south coast on the opening weekend of the new Premier League season.
PSG play Lens in the Trophée des Champions on Sunday before they kick off the defence of their Ligue 1 crown at home against Rennes.
09:59pm
FT stats
Possession: PSG 61%- Aston Villa 39%Shots: 12-15Shots on target: 6-4Corners: 0-2Touches in opposition box: 29-34
09:55pmVideo
PSG win the 2026 Uefa Super Cup
Buendia has a late chance to equalise for Aston Villa from Maatsen’s cross but his header goes wide.
Not long after, the final whistle goes and PSG win the Super Cup for the second straight year. Last year they beat Tottenham on penalties, this time they beat Aston Villa 2-1. Unai Emery’s side acquitted themselves well and will regret some of their missed chances tonight. An entertaining affair in Salzburg.
09:54pm
90+4 mins: PSG 2 Aston Villa 1
Dembele feeds a pass into the Villa box looking to pick out the run of Hakimi but there is slightly too much on it and Bizot is out to gather.
Into the final minute of added time we go.
09:52pm
90+2 mins: PSG 2 Aston Villa 1
Aston Villa are running out of time to find a late equaliser.
09:49pm
90 mins: PSG 2 Aston Villa 1
There will be five added minutes.
09:49pm
89 mins: PSG 2 Aston Villa 1
Maatsen brings Dembele down not far outside the Aston Villa box but play goes on as the latter gets up and shoots, with his effort saved by Bizot.
09:48pm
88 mins: PSG 2 Aston Villa 1
One final change for PSG as their other goalscorer tonight, Kvaratskhelia, is replaced by Beraldo. A defender comes on for an attacker as Luis Enrique’s side look to hold on for the victory.
09:46pm
87 mins: PSG 2 Aston Villa 1
Mayulu is coming on for Doue, whose goal may well have won back-to-back Super Cups for PSG.
09:42pm
82 mins: PSG 2 Aston Villa 1
The ball falls to Kvaratskhelia on the right side of the box and the Georgian chips it over Bizot but Cash is on hand to clear. Aston Villa then counter and Abraham feeds a pass forward at the perfect time to pick out the run of Alysson into the PSG box. Alysson then plays it across the six-yard box but neither Abraham nor Maatsen are there to meet the cross.
09:39pm
79 mins: PSG 2 Aston Villa 1
Double change for Aston Villa as Barkley and Mings replace Gomes and Torres, who were both on yellow cards.
09:34pm
74 mins: PSG 2 Aston Villa 1
Alysson, only just on the pitch, does brilliantly down Aston Villa’s right and drives into the PSG penalty area. His cross is parried away by Safonov straight into the path of Gomes, whose shot is blocked by Zaire-Emery.
PSG are making a double substitution as Ruiz and L Hernandez come on. Neves and Mendes, who had been struggling with cramp, go off.
09:32pm
72 mins: PSG 2 Aston Villa 1
Aston Villa are going to make a triple change as Abraham, Alysson and Bogarde come on. 17-year-old Madjo is one of those to be replaced as is McGinn, who has been booked as he goes off. The Aston Villa captain is distinctly unimpressed with the officials.
John McGinn not happy with the officials - Adam Davy/PA
09:31pm
71 mins: PSG 2 Aston Villa 1
The space opens up for Mendes to take on the shot from range and he obliges, forcing Bizot into a decent save. Kvaratskhelia is unable to make contact with the follow-up. Mendes seems to be struggling with some cramp.
09:28pm
68 mins: PSG 2 Aston Villa 1
We are nearly 70 minutes into the game but Unai Emery has still not turned to his bench yet.
09:23pm
63 mins: PSG 2 Aston Villa 1
Aston Villa have an immediate chance to equalise through Hemmings but the 19-year-old’s effort from inside the box is straight at Safonov. That was a big chance for Hemmings.
Down the other end, Gomes is booked for a challenge from behind on Doue.
09:21pmKey moments • Goals • Video
GOAL! Doue puts PSG back in front after VAR review
The VAR has checked it and there was no offside so the original decision is overturned and the goal is given. Doue is played in behind by Dembele down the right channel and is played onside by Cash on the far side. Doue takes it into the Villa penalty area and gets it onto his left foot. He curls it past Bizot and into the far corner.
09:20pm
61 mins: PSG 1 Aston Villa 1
Doue has the ball in the Aston Villa net but the offside flag has gone up. However, has Cash played Doue onside?
09:19pm
59 mins: PSG 1 Aston Villa 1
Cash’s cross from the right picks out Buendia at the front post but the latter’s header is off target. Unai Emery will be pretty happy with his side’s performance through the hour mark.
09:16pm
56 mins: PSG 1 Aston Villa 1
Mendes is a touch fortunate not to be penalised for a foul on McGinn as the Aston Villa captain spun the Portuguese defender on halfway. The referee must have thought both players had a hold of each other but I would lean towards Mendes probably fouling McGinn.
09:14pm
54 mins: PSG 1 Aston Villa 1
Other than 10/15 minutes in and around Kvaratskhelia’s goal, Aston Villa have put in a good performance and have created more chances than PSG. If anything, it will be Villa who will be disappointed that they have not scored more than once.
09:10pm
51 mins: PSG 1 Aston Villa 1
Just inside the PSG penalty area, McGinn cuts onto his left to get his shot away and his deflected effort is saved by Safonov diving to his right.
One of Aston Villa’s coaches has been booked for some protestations after Torres is penalised for a foul on Doue. Torres is also booked for that challenge.
09:08pm
48 mins: PSG 1 Aston Villa 1
Two of Aston Villa’s best players tonight thus far have been teenagers; 19-year-old Hemmings and 17-year-old Madjo. Aston Villa have seen some key, senior players depart this summer but will take joy from the performances of this pair.
09:04pm
Second half
Luis Enrique has decided he needed to make a change at the break as Dembele replaces Akliouche, who was quiet on his official debut for PSG after his move from Monaco.
We are back under way in Salzburg.
08:58pmAnalysis
A moment to remember
Brian Madjo - remember the name.
Incredible to think he is only 17 years and 212 days old. He’s been all over PSG centre-back Willian Pacho and thoroughly deserves his goal.
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The teenager could even have had a hat-trick. What a second-half this could be.
Madjo has managed to steal the limelight from PSG’s Georgian magician Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, which is quite some achievement.
Aston Villa’s Brian Madjo celebrates after scoring his side’s first goal during the UEFA Super Cup - Darko Vojinovic/AP
08:55pm
HT stats
Possession: PSG 67%-33% Aston VillaShots: 6-10Shots on target: 2-2Corners: 0-2Touches in opposition box: 11-17
08:48pm
Half-time
After one added minute, the first half is brought to an end and we are all square at 1-1 in Salzburg. Kvaratskhelia had put PSG in front but Madjo’s goal on the stroke of half-time has Aston Villa level at the break.
08:46pmKey moments • Goals • Video
GOAL! Madjo equalises for Aston Villa
On the stroke of half-time, the 17-year-old levels for Aston Villa and finally takes his fourth big chance of the night. It is perhaps the hardest chance he has had as McGinn’s cross comes all the way to the back post. Madjo is being held by Pacho but somehow gets his foot to it and his shot goes into the roof of the net. What a moment for the 17-year-old!
08:45pm
44 mins: PSG 1 Aston Villa 0
Madjo has his third massive chance of this first half and this shot comes off the post. Buendia feeds a pass forward into the path of Madjo, who appeared to be blocked by Pacho but he outmuscles him. Madjo then fires towards goal but it strikes the outside of the post. In a parallel universe, Madjo could have ahd a first-half hat-trick.
08:44pm
42 mins: PSG 1 Aston Villa 0
Aston Villa have had a few great chances in this first half and there is another. A free-kick into the PSG penalty area causes issues for the French side and Kamara’s header towards goal is saved by Safonov.
08:43pm
41 mins: PSG 1 Aston Villa 0
Madjo has his second huge chance of this first half. Once more it is McGinn who provides the cross. The Scot does really well on the right side of the box to fake the cross with his left and instead delivers with his right. He picks out Madjo at the back post and the 17-year-old should score but his header misses the target. What a story it would have been had the 17-year-old scored two goals against the Champions League winners.
08:41pm
39 mins: PSG 1 Aston Villa 0
Aston Villa have just settled things down. Either side of Kvaratskhelia’s goal, they were on the ropes but have calmed things down.
08:36pm
35 mins: PSG 1 Aston Villa 0
Hemmings is played in and he could potentially have gone down twice under challenges from Hakimi and then Mendes. The ball then falls to 17-year-old Madjo on the left side of the box. He opens up his body and tries to curl into the far corner but his effort goes wide.
08:35pm
33 mins: PSG 1 Aston Villa 0
Referees are now hot on players taking too long over throw-ins, with Mendes falling foul of that. That is one of the fairly new rules that will be good for the game.
08:29pmVideo
28 mins: PSG 1 Aston Villa 0
A huge chance for 17-year-old Madjo to equalise. McGinn picks out the young striker with a sublime cross from the right. Madjo is just eight yards out and has a free header but it goes just wide of the far post. Aston Villa should be level.
08:27pm
26 mins: PSG 1 Aston Villa 0
After Aston Villa had made a solid start to this game, it is all PSG right now and Villa are on the ropes at the moment. PSG work it beautifully down their left after a sublime one-two between Mendes and Kvaratskhelia. Mendes drives down the left wing and has a cross into the box first-time which he declines. The Portuguese defender then has four different teammates that he could pick out in the penalty area but his cross misses all four.
08:25pm
24 mins: PSG 1 Aston Villa 0
PSG want a penalty. Kvaratskhelia shows great feet out on the left to drive into the Aston Villa penalty area. Gomes is on his back and Kvaratskhelia goes down. It did look like he was always looking to go down and it would have been very soft.
08:21pmKey moments • Goals • Video
GOAL! Kvaratskhelia puts PSG in front
A few minutes after I said that Aston Villa had done a decent job of keeping PSG at bay, Luis Enrique’s side take the lead. Bizot had just made a great reflex save to deny Doue but he is unable to stop Kvaratskhelia’s effort. The Georgian cuts inside onto his right just inside the Aston Villa penalty area and gets his shot away quickly after quick feet. There is great venom on the shot and it beats Bizot, who thought Kvaratskhelia was going to go for the far corner but instead hit it at the near post. Could Bizot have saved that? Perhaps but Kvaratskhelia did belt that shot.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia celebrates scoring their side’s first goal during the UEFA Super Cup - Adam Davy/PA
08:19pm
18 mins: PSG 0 Aston Villa 0
As you would expect, PSG are dominating possession but thus far have been unable to create any genuine chances, much to Aston Villa’s credit. But, with the players PSG have at their disposal, they can cause chaos in a moment.
08:14pm
12 mins: PSG 0 Aston Villa 0
Tensions just start to simmer. McGinn gives a foul away on Mendes, who then attempts to take the free-kick a good few yards further forward from where it was. McGinn repeatedly tries to stop Mendes from taking it further forward before the referee steps in to end the dispute.
Moments later, Kamara decides to shoot from range and his low, driving effort goes wide of Safonov’s right post. With Onana injured long-term and Tielemans now at Manchester United, Kamara’s importance to Aston Villa is even higher.
08:09pm
8 mins: PSG 0 Aston Villa 0
In last year’s Super Cup, PSG were stunned in the first hour against Tottenham as went 2-0 down before coming back to win on penalties. PSG have played fewer friendlies than Aston Villa up until this point so there may be a little more rustiness in Luis Enrique’s side than Unai Emery’s.
08:06pm
6 mins: PSG 0 Aston Villa 0
This is going to be a very tall order for Aston Villa, who look very different tonight to how they ended last season, up against a team of PSG’s calibre. Not only have Villa sold some key players like Rogers and Tielemans but the likes of Konsa and Watkins are yet to return after the World Cup.
08:05pm
4 mins: PSG 0 Aston Villa 0
McGinn is afforded too much space and time to cut onto his left foot out on the right and whip a dangerous cross towards the far post. Pacho is on hand to head away with a great defensive header.
Moments later, good work from Maatsen out on the left earns Aston Villa a corner. Unai Emery’s side have made a decent start to this game. Buendia’s delivery into the near post is headed away by Marquinhos.
08:01pm
Kick-off
We are under way in Salzburg, where it has been a very hot day but the temperature has cooled a touch with the sun having set in Austria.
07:57pm
Nearly ready for action
Some huge banners are on display on the pitch, displaying not only the emblems of the two clubs but also images of the trophy lifts that have earned these sides a place in tonight’s game. Both sides emerge from the tunnel, past the trophies they won with the two captains carrying them out, and we are moments away from kick-off in Salzburg. Here is a reminder of how the sides line up tonight:
PSG: Safonov, Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Zaire-Emery, Akliouche, Doue, Kvaratskhelia.Substitutes: Chevalier, Beraldo, Zabarnyi, Ruiz, Dembele, Digne, Hernandez, Mayulu, Fernandez, Barcola, Ndjantou, Mbaye.
Aston Villa: Bizot, Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen, Joao Gomes, Kamara, Hemmings, Buendia, McGinn, Madjo.Substitutes: Wright, Asemota, Mings, Barkley, Abraham, Bogarde, Nedeljkovic, Alysson, Cisse, Rowe, Burrowes, Lynch.
07:55pm
Pre-match thoughts of Unai Emery
07:54pm
Inside knowledge
Lucas Digne has only just swapped Aston Villa for PSG in recent days but he already comes up against his old teammates. He is on the bench for PSG tonight and could offer some good insight into Unai Emery’s side.
07:42pm
On the move?
PSG forwards Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye have both been linked with moves to Liverpool this summer and both are on the bench for PSG tonight. As PSG close in on moves for Ferran Torres and Mika Godts, could Liverpool’s moves for Barcola and Mbaye accelerate in the next few days? Barcola has only recently returned to training after the World Cup and is joined on the bench by compatriot Ousmane Dembele. Maghnes Akliouche, who has joined PSG from Monaco this summer, starts tonight.
07:34pm
PSG fans making their voices heard
Atmopshere building in Salzburg - Alex Grimm/Getty Images
07:29pm
Opportunity beckons
Brian Madjo is just 17-years-old but he starts up top for Aston Villa tonight against the Champions League winners, with Ollie Watkins yet to return after the World Cup.
Aston Villa’s Brian Madjo taking pictures ahead of the game - Adam Davy/PA
07:24pm
Aston Villa captain John McGinn
“There is a lot of change but when you look at other clubs in England, there is a lot of change. What we have still is our main core, same manager, same methods and same desire to achieve more. A lot thought we reached our ceiling a few seasons ago and we proved them wrong. As long as we have that hunger to achieve more, Aston Villa fans can expect as much as possible.”
07:16pm
Aston Villa’s transfer business so far
INS:Johan Manzambi ⇠ Freiburg, £50mJoao Gomes ⇠ Wolves, £34mAlejandro Garnacho ⇠ Chelsea, LoanModou Keba Cisse ⇠ LASK, £5m
OUTS:Youri Tielemans ⇢ Manchester United, £36mDonyell Malen ⇢ Roma, £20mMorgan Rogers ⇢ Chelsea, £117mLewis Dobbin ⇢ Southampton, £10mEnzo Barrenechea ⇢ Benfica, £10mLucas Digne ⇢ PSG, £8mEvann Guessand ⇢ Crystal Palace, Loan
07:10pm
Aston Villa’s pre-season thus far
July 21- Walsall 0 Aston Villa 5July 25- Porto 2 Aston Villa 1July 28- Aston Villa 2 Real Sociedad 4August 1- Indonesia All Stars 1 Aston Villa 3August 4- BG Pathum 1 Aston Villa 3August 7- Aston Villa 1 Bayern Munich 2
07:04pm
Teams in full
PSG: Safonov, Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Zaire-Emery, Akliouche, Doue, Kvaratskhelia.Substitutes: Chevalier, Beraldo, Zabarnyi, Ruiz, Dembele, Digne, Hernandez, Mayulu, Fernandez, Barcola, Ndjantou, Mbaye.
Aston Villa: Bizot, Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen, Joao Gomes, Kamara, Hemmings, Buendia, McGinn, Madjo.Substitutes: Wright, Asemota, Mings, Barkley, Abraham, Bogarde, Nedeljkovic, Alysson, Cisse, Rowe, Burrowes, Lynch.
07:02pm
Last five Uefa Super Cups
2025- PSG 2 Tottenham 2 (Udine, PSG won on penalties)2024- Real Madrid 2 Atalanta 0 (Poland)2023- Manchester City 1 Sevilla 1 (Athens, Manchester City won on penalties)2022- Real Madrid 2 Eintracht Frankfurt 0 (Helsinki)2021- Chelsea 1 Villarreal 1 (Belfast, Chelsea won on penalties)
06:58pmOpinion
New signing not involved
New Villa signing Alejandro Garnacho has been ruled out tonight as part of the concussion protocols.
Garnacho was signed from Chelsea last month and took a whack to his face in the recent game against BG Pathum in Thailand.
06:53pm
Taking in the solar eclipse
Fans watch the solar eclipse through protective glasses inside the stadium before the match - Angelika Warmuth/Reuters
06:51pm
The man with the whistle
Tonight’s game will be refereed by Omar Artan, the Somali referee who was supposed to officiate at the World Cup but got turned away at the border.
The referee for tonight - Alex Grimm/Getty Images
06:49pm
Aston Villa team
06:48pmOpinion
Summer of change
What will we learn from the “new Aston Villa” tonight? After the sales of Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne, this is a Villa team in transition.
Unai Emery virtually admitted last night it could be another slow start to the season, like last year. Villa face a full-strength PSG team hoping to win the Super Cup for the second time in a row.
I don’t think we can take much from this result tonight, whatever it is. Villa cannot be properly judged until the window closes. Don’t bother telling that to Unai Emery, though. He is ready to continue defying the doubters.
06:45pmKey moments
Trophy up for grabs in Austria
The Champions League and Europa League winners fight it out in the Uefa Super Cup in Salzburg as PSG take on Aston Villa. PSG took on English opposition in the Super Cup a year ago, when they played Tottenham. PSG fell 2-0 down in that game in Udine but scored two late goals to take it to penalties, where they won 4-3. These sides met in the Champions League knockout stages two seasons ago; PSG did progress from the quarter-final encounter as they went on to win the competition but not without a scare as Aston Villa did win at Villa Park and PSG only progressed 5-4 on aggregate. The two clubs have been involved in a transfer this week, with left-back Lucas Digne re-joining PSG from Aston Villa.
Aston Villa have played in the Super Cup once before back in 1982 when they took in Barcelona. They lost the first leg 1-0 over at Camp Nou but fought back to win the second leg 3-0 at Villa Park to claim the trophy. Aston Villa were last in action out in the Far East last Friday, falling to a 2-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in Hong Kong. It has been a big summer of change at the club, with key starters like Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans departing and the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Joao Gomes arriving.
Unai Emery’s squad is going to look pretty different to how it did last season - Darko Bandic/Getty Images
“I feel like the club is in a new era, with this possibility to fight for trophies,” Unai Emery told Uefa. “We are trying to be successful through, firstly, [building] a winning team, and then aiming for the positive consequences after it; winning trophies. To play the UEFA Super Cup is another opportunity to be there, the opportunity to win a trophy, to play against Paris Saint-Germain; the [best] team in the world now and another team we can compare [ourselves] with.”
Emery has confirmed that Ezri Konsa, Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martinez will not be involved as they are still on their breaks following the World Cup.
PSG have now won back-to-back Champions Leagues, beating Arsenal in the final last season. They have only played a couple of friendlies in pre-season, losing 3-0 to Mallorca before drawing 1-1 against Manchester United. Luis Enrique’s side will take on Lens in the Trophée des Champions on Sunday before kicking off the defence of their Ligue 1 title at home to Rennes.
“I focus on renewing that desire to win again,” Enrique told Uefa. “It is difficult to keep winning. Right now, we have a unique challenge; something that is practically unprecedented in the history of European football, which is to draw level with Real Madrid if we can win a third consecutive Champions League. No-one in history has won three in a row, only Real Madrid. We can equal them. But I do not think there is any team in Europe more motivated than us.
“No-one rules out PSG any more. Two years ago, it was impossible to put us among the favourites; not impossible, but we were not one of the favourites. Now, no one would say that Paris Saint-Germain are not the favourites. That is something we have earned, but if we are going to maintain that position, we have to work even harder.”
Luis Enrique’s side are aiming for a third straight Champions League title this coming season - Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
PSG have added Monaco winger Maghnes Akliouche and Digne to their ranks this summer. They are also pushing to sign Ferran Torres from Barcelona and Mika Godts from Ajax. Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye have both been linked with moves to Liverpool but have been included in their squad for tonight’s game, as have Akliouche and Digne.
Team news to follow shortly.
Source: “AOL Sports”
