PSG vs Aston Villa: UEFA Super Cup Final Preview

Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa go head-to-head for the first major European trophy of the 2026/27 season when the Champions League and Europa League winners meet in the UEFA Super Cup final in Salzburg.

PSG arrive in Austria as reigning Champions League holders after another hugely successful campaign, while Villa earned their place in the showpiece after ending a 30-year wait for a major trophy by winning the Europa League.

The two clubs are no strangers to each other, having produced a thrilling Champions League quarter-final tie in April 2025. PSG eventually progressed 5-4 on aggregate despite Villa winning the second leg 3-2 at Villa Park, and that meeting provides an intriguing backdrop to a Super Cup final that will see both sides looking considerably different.

The previous meeting between these sides produced nine goals across two legs and a dramatic conclusion at Villa Park.

PSG took control of the quarter-final in the first leg, recovering from Morgan Rogers’ surprise opener to win 3-1 in Paris. Desire Doue equalised before Kvicha Kvaratskhelia and Nuno Mendes put the French side in command.

Villa therefore travelled back to Birmingham needing a huge performance to overturn the deficit, and the second leg initially appeared to be slipping away from them when Achraf Hakimi and Mendes put PSG ahead.

What followed was one of Villa’s most memorable European performances in recent years. Youri Tielemans’ deflected effort gave Unai Emery’s side hope before captain John McGinn produced a superb individual run and finish to bring Villa within touching distance of completing the comeback.

Marcus Rashford then created the opportunity for Ezri Konsa to score, with Villa producing three goals in just 23 minutes to turn the tie on its head.

PSG ultimately held on to progress 5-4 on aggregate, with Gianluigi Donnarumma producing a series of decisive saves to deny Villa the goal that would have completed the turnaround.

“We were really suffering. I do not think this team has been dominated in this way.”

Those were the words of PSG boss Luis Enrique after his side survived a remarkable late onslaught, with the Spaniard also acknowledging that his team had allowed Villa back into the contest.

“We were playing at a level that was not befitting of the Champions League,” Enrique admitted after the game. “Villa had chances to equalise.

“The opponent had to take risks because they were going out of the competition. They attacked with real intensity and in front of a great crowd as well.

“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.”

More than a year on, the circumstances are very different. This time there is no two-legged tie and no aggregate score to overturn. The winner of Wednesday’s final will lift the UEFA Super Cup.

PSG have continued to build on the success that followed their narrow escape against Villa.

After eliminating Emery’s side, Enrique’s team went on to defeat Arsenal in the Champions League semi-finals before dismantling Inter Milan in the final to claim the club’s first European Cup.

Their success has continued since then, with PSG adding further domestic honours and another Champions League triumph to an increasingly impressive trophy haul. They also won last year’s UEFA Super Cup after overcoming Tottenham Hotspur on penalties.

The squad remains packed with quality, with Ousmane Dembele, Kvaratskhelia and Doue providing a formidable attacking threat. Behind them, Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha and Joao Neves give PSG a technically gifted and well-balanced midfield.

Hakimi, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho and Nuno Mendes provide considerable quality in defence, while Matvey Safonov is among the goalkeeping options.

PSG’s depth could prove particularly important in a final being played so early in the new campaign. Bradley Barcola provides another dangerous attacking option, while new additions including Ilya Zabarnyi and Maghnes Akliouche add further quality to Enrique’s squad.

There is also a fascinating subplot surrounding Lucas Digne, with the former Villa defender having returned to Paris and potentially facing his old club just days after completing the move.

Villa’s route to Salzburg was secured in memorable fashion as Emery’s side ended their long wait for silverware by beating Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final in Istanbul.

The victory represented the culmination of a remarkable period of progress under Emery, who has taken Villa back into the Champions League and established them as a regular force in European competition.

However, the squad that lifted the Europa League trophy has already undergone significant changes.

Morgan Rogers has departed for Chelsea in a record-breaking £117m move, while Youri Tielemans has joined Manchester United for £35m. Both players were key figures during Villa’s previous encounter with PSG, making their departures significant losses for Emery.

Villa have responded by moving quickly in the transfer market, with Joao Gomes and Johan Manzambi among the new arrivals. The club are also continuing to explore further additions, with Matteo Ruggeri and Joao Palhinha among the players potentially still on Emery’s radar.

There is also the possibility of Alejandro Garnacho joining Villa, which would give Emery another exciting attacking option as he looks to reshape his side.

Of the 16 Villa players who featured against PSG in April 2025, five have since left the club, while Amadou Onana is unavailable after suffering an ACL injury.

The Super Cup therefore represents the first major opportunity to see how Emery’s new-look Villa compares with the European champions.

There is positive news for Villa ahead of the final, with several important players expected to link up with the squad after their respective post-World Cup breaks.

Ollie Watkins, Ezri Konsa and Emiliano Martinez are all set to return, giving Emery a significant boost ahead of the meeting with PSG.

Konsa will have particularly strong memories of the last meeting after scoring Villa’s third goal during the dramatic comeback at Villa Park, while Martinez remains one of the most influential figures in the squad.

Captain John McGinn has also been pictured back in training following an injury scare during Villa’s pre-season victory over Pathum United in Asia.

Villa’s current squad includes Martinez, Marco Bizot, Robin Olsen and Asemota in goal, with defensive options including Matty Cash, Nedeljkovic, Konsa, Lindelof, Torres, Mings, Maatsen, Bogarde and Cisse.

McGinn, Boubacar Kamara, Joao Gomes and Ross Barkley provide options in midfield, while Watkins, Tammy Abraham, Buendia, Garnacho, Guessand and Alysson are among the attacking options.

The squad is still developing, but Emery has already demonstrated his ability to mould new arrivals into a competitive side.

The UEFA Super Cup presents a fascinating contrast between two clubs who have taken very different routes to Salzburg.

PSG are the established European heavyweight, having won the Champions League and continued to add silverware to their collection. Their squad contains elite talent across the pitch and Enrique has developed a side capable of controlling matches while also possessing the attacking quality to punish opponents quickly.

Villa, meanwhile, arrive as Europa League champions after a remarkable resurgence under Emery. Their squad has changed significantly over the summer, but the core ambition remains the same: to compete at the highest level and establish themselves among Europe’s elite.

The previous meeting showed just how difficult Villa can make life for PSG. Despite trailing 3-1 from the first leg and falling further behind in the return fixture, Emery’s side came within a goal of producing one of the great Champions League comebacks.

This time, there will be no second leg and no opportunity for either side to recover. The UEFA Super Cup will be decided on the night, with both clubs having the chance to claim one of the first major pieces of silverware of the new European season.

With the Champions League holders facing the Europa League winners, and the memories of their extraordinary 2025 encounter still fresh, PSG vs Aston Villa promises to be a compelling UEFA Super Cup final.