UEFA Super Cup: Emery's first hunt, but PSG is more favored

Paris Saint-Germain face Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup. (UEFA)

JAKARTA - Aston Villa manager Unai Emery hopes to win the UEFA Super Cup for the first time when facing Champions League champion Paris Saint-Germain in a duel at the Salzburg Stadium, Salzburg, Thursday, August 13, 2026 WIB. Only, PSG is more favored when facing the Europa League champion.

Villa had visited Jakarta to try out against the Indonesia All Stars as part of the team's preparations for PSG. After defeating Kurniawan Dwi Julianto's team, Villa then faced the German Bundesliga elite team, Bayern Munich. The result, The Villans had to admit Bayern's advantage 2-1.

Villa's pre-season journey is not convincing. Moreover, Emery faced his team with teams that are not strong except when they meet Porto and Bayern from six trial matches. The trouble again, this elite Premier League English team has to admit their opponents.

Not only that, Villa's squad is different from when they won the trophy by defeating Freiburg 3-0. Villa has let go of Morgan Rogers who became the most expensive English player when Chelsea bought him. Meanwhile, Belgium national team captain Youri Tielemans moved to Manchester United.

However, Villa managed to get Alejandro Garnacho who was warmly welcomed when playing at Gelora Bung Karno. In addition, there is Joao Gomez and Johan Manzambi.

Even though he appeared with a squad that had changed, Emery was still optimistic about facing the European Super Cup match. The Spaniard, who once designed PSG, has the ambition to win the trophy for the first time.

Yes, Emery has won the Europa League five times with three different clubs. He is the record holder of this European second division, but Emery is unlucky when he brings the team to the Super Cup. He has appeared four times in the Super Cup and all of them ended in defeat.

Meanwhile, when Villarreal lost to Chelsea, Emery was replaced by Jorge Sampaoli.

"We have managed to build a winning team which then we achieved positive results, namely becoming champions," said Emery as quoted by the UEFA website.

"Appearing in the UEFA Super Cup definitely gives us the next opportunity, namely the opportunity to win a trophy. We are also ready to face Paris Saint-Germain who are the best team at the moment," he said.

Emery also admitted that PSG was the best team that made the French Ligue 1 champion more favored. PSG successfully back to back won the Champions League. In the last edition or the 2025/2026 season, the team coached by Luis Enrique defeated the Premier League champion Arsenal 4-3 (1-1) through a penalty shootout drama.

PSG also met the representative of the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur in the 2025 Super Cup. Now, PSG is back facing an English team to defend the European Super Cup. Before facing Villa, Enrique again brought Ousmane Dembele et al. to the Premier League elite team, Man Utd, with a score of 1-1. The result has become enough capital for Les Parisiens to entertain Villa.

"We are happy to be back here [the European Super Cup] because we finished the job very well [to become Champions League champions]. Of course it's not easy to maintain performance at the highest level. But we are really enthusiastic," said Enrique.

"The important thing is that we are at our best level at the end of this season. But it all starts again from this match. And we start the season with the same ambition and passion," he said.

Enrique will bring down the best squad with the Portuguese trio, Vitinha, Nuno Mendes and Joao Neves, have rejoined after the 2026 World Cup. So will captain Marquinhos, who previously played for Brazil, be in the line-up.

Emery also has to be wary of PSG's front line because Dembele will be shoulder to shoulder with Ibrahim Mbaye and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia who are in the best condition.

Villa themselves lost captain John McGinn who was injured during a trial against BG Pathum United. In addition, Manzambi has not recovered from a knee injury. On the other hand, Ezri Konsa, Ollie Watkins and Victor Lindelof are ready to play again.

With a different player composition, can Villa make a surprise by defeating PSG? It's just that PSG is more favored to match Real Madrid's success who have won the European Super Cup twice in a row.

Predicted Starting XI

Paris Saint-Germain: Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Neves; Mbaye, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia

Aston Villa: Bizot; Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen; Gomes, Kamara; Hemmings, Buendia, Garnacho; Watkins