PSG v Aston Villa: UEFA Super Cup final in Salzburg on August 12
Paris Saint-Germain, the UEFA Champions League winners, will meet Europa League winners Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup 2026 final at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg on August 12.
Luis Enrique’s PSG arrive having won back-to-back Champions League titles and will contest for consecutive UEFA Super Cup silverware. In pre-season they failed to win their last two friendly matches, losing 0-3 to Mallorca and drawing with Manchester United. The article states that all of PSG’s FIFA World Cup participants are now back in the squad, with Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola among those available.
The piece highlights Vitinha as an important figure for PSG, describing the Portuguese midfielder as 26 years old, capable of establishing strong control in midfield and of scoring goals, and as a crucial part of Luis Enrique’s plans. It also notes PSG lacked composure in the final third against Manchester United during their recent friendly.
Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are described as producing inconsistent performances in pre-season, with Morgan Rogers’ move to Chelsea cited as leaving Villa in need of a new midfield presence. The article assesses Villa’s backline as decent while saying their final third and midfield must improve; it states Villa must establish control from the start and not allow PSG chances on goal.
João Gomes is identified as Villa’s standout in their last pre-season game against Bayern Munich, and as the sole goalscorer in that match; the article adds that Emery might rely on the 25-year-old Brazilian midfielder. It also reports Amadou Onana is out for the long term with a cruciate ligament injury and lists Emiliano Martinez, Alejandro Garnacho, Leon Bailey, John McGinn and Johan Manzambi as not yet confirmed to be part of the squad.
The article states all PSG squad members are fit and ready, and that Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi, Fabian Ruiz, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola might not start but will surely come on as substitutes. It prints the projected lineups as: Safonov (GK); Boly, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Mayulu, Vitinha, Neves; Mbaye, Ayari, Kvaratskhelia and Bizot (GK); Cash, Mings, Torres, Maatsen; Hemmings, Kamara, Gomes, Buendia; Guessand, Madjo.
The preview states neither side will back down with a chance to claim silverware before the 2026-27 season, and gives a prediction of PSG 3-2 Aston Villa.
The Red Bull Arena in Salzburg, Austria will host the UEFA Super Cup final on August 12; in India the fixture is listed as available on Sony Sports Network and SonyLIV.