Aston Villa and PSG are set to begin the new season early with the UEFA Super Cup match this midweek in Salzburg.
Aston Villa have just returned from Asia after completing their pre-season tour last Friday in Hong Kong. They are still in the process of rebuilding the squad following the departure of key men such as Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers, and the latest one, Lucas Digne, who has just switched sides to their opposition. Other names who have left the squad are the right-back Andres Garcia and Leon Bailey.
Their transfer business is still ongoing, and so far The Lions have managed to secure moves for Johan Manzambi, Joao Gomes, Alejandro Garnacho, and the latest one, Matteo Ruggeri. More signings and probably departures are expected this summer. Thus, this clash will be a test for Emery’s team to see whether they are ready to fly high in the Champions League with their new squad.
It is also a mission for Unai Emery to end his hoodoo in this competition. He has failed three times in previous attempts, twice with Sevilla in 2014 and 2015 and once with Villarreal in 2021. Emery’s teams suffered defeats to Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Chelsea respectively.
Yet, Aston Villa have never lost in a European final they have played. On each occasion, The Lions won the European Cup and UEFA Super Cup in 1982, as well as the Europa League in 2026 on their first attempt. Emery hopes Villa’s positive record can help him deliver another silverware this week.
Aston Villa did not achieve satisfactory results in pre-season. They only picked up three wins from six games and lost the remaining three. The most concerning part is that they lost to the top European sides such as FC Porto, Real Sociedad, and Bayern Munich, while their victories came only against lower-tier teams such as Walsall, Indonesian All Stars, and BG Pathum Thani.
However, they did not include most of the players who featured at the FIFA World Cup, apart from Evann Guessand, John McGinn, and Victor Lindelof during the pre-season. The remaining stars returned from their extended holidays on August 8. Ollie Watkins, Ezri Konsa, and Emiliano Martinez will begin training with the team this Monday.
There was some concern over John McGinn’s slight injury in the friendly game in Thailand. Yet, it was not serious, and the skipper could still lead the team on Wednesday. The only players who are definitely unavailable due to injuries are Amadou Onana and the new signing, Johan Manzambi.
Moreover, there is still a possibility of including Brian Madjo in the squad, should Emery opt to add him before the deadline on Tuesday at 23:59 CET, as long as the FA can decide whether he is eligible to play in domestic matches. They submitted the final squad before the CAS ruling on the youngster’s status was confirmed.
In the expected starting XI, Martinez should reclaim his spot between the sticks. At the back, Matty Cash, Pau Torres, Tyrone Mings, and Ian Maatsen should get the nod from the start. Ezri Konsa might come off the bench in the second half.
In the second line, Joao Gomes and Boubacar Kamara should start behind Emiliano Buendia in the attacking midfield role. Meanwhile, Alejandro Garnacho and John McGinn could operate on both flanks, with Ollie Watkins leading the line.
The clash between Le Parisien v The Villans will be available on TNT Sports 1 or TNT Sports Ultimate channel and live streaming. The fans can also enjoy the match on discovery+ app.
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