Ousmane Dembele benched as PSG face Aston Villa in UEFA Super Cup at Salzburg

Paris Saint-Germain named Ousmane Dembele among the substitutes as they met Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg, Austria on Wednesday night, August 12, 2026. Head coach Luis Enrique announced a strong starting XI that did not include the winger.

PSG reached the Super Cup after a stunning win over Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League final; this marked their second Champions League title, making them only the second team to win the competition in back-to-back seasons. Their opponents, Aston Villa, arrive as the reigning UEFA Europa League champions. Enrique confirmed his line-up ahead of the match while leaving Dembele out of the starting eleven.

The Ballon d’Or winner was named on the bench while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia started on the left wing. New signing Maghnes Akliouche, who joined from Monaco, was handed the start on the right flank and Desire Doue began as striker.

Dembele is not currently listed as injured, but Enrique said in the pre-match press conference that many players who took part in the FIFA World Cup 2026 are still not back to full match fitness. Dembele played in eight matches for Les Bleus in the World Cup.

Media reports stated Dembele returned early from his holiday determined to start the Super Cup clash, but Enrique opted for a more cautious approach by giving Akliouche his first competitive start for Les Parisiens. The Frenchman remains available to make an impact off the bench if called upon by his manager.

The fixture kicks off at 12:30 AM IST on August 13 in India and takes place at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg, Austria. For match coverage and further updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube or download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join the community on Whatsapp & Telegram.