Paris St-Germain face Aston Villa in Super Cup showdown in Salzburg
Champions League winners Paris St-Germain will face Europa League holders Aston Villa in the Uefa Super Cup in Salzburg on Wednesday.
The prestigious fixture comes 484 days after the two sides played out a thrilling European quarter-final tie in April 2025.
The Parisian giants ultimately progressed 5-4 on aggregate on their way to lifting the most coveted trophy in club football.
However, Unai Emery’s men pushed the eventual champions to the absolute limit during a dramatic second leg in England.
Memories of a Villa Park classic
Heading into that reverse fixture, the West Midlands club trailed 3-1 after a challenging first leg in the French capital.
The English side bravely fought back to win the second leg 3-2 during a chaotic match that featured five goals:
- Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes seemingly putting the tie to bed for the visitors
- Youri Tielemans sparking hope with a deflected strike
- John McGinn sending the home crowd into raptures with a superb solo finish
- Ezri Konsa scoring a third following exceptional wide play from Marcus Rashford
Despite their three-goal blitz in the space of just 23 minutes, the Premier League side could not find a crucial equaliser to force extra time.
‘We were really suffering’
Gianluigi Donnarumma produced a string of vital saves to ensure the French heavyweights survived a breathless finale.
Paris St-Germain manager Luis Enrique admitted his side were heavily affected by the intense atmosphere created by the home supporters.
“We were playing at a level that was not befitting of the Champions League. We were really suffering.”
Luis Enrique
The former Barcelona head coach conceded that his players suffered from complacency after taking a commanding aggregate lead.
“At 2-0, we nearly had Villa on the canvas. We reached a point where perhaps it was too easy, a bit of overconfidence, and that gave Villa a chance.”
Luis Enrique
A fresh battle in Austria
After surviving the scare in Birmingham, Enrique’s side confidently dispatched Arsenal in the semi-finals.
Now, a new chapter awaits in Austria as both clubs look to secure their first piece of European silverware of the new campaign.