Paris Saint-Germain retained the UEFA Super Cup, beating Aston Villa 2-1 in the traditional curtain-raiser to the European season. It’s PSG’s second straight Super Cup win, the first team to win back to back Super Cup titles since Real Madrid did it in 2016 and 2017.

Match Report

PSG made the perfect start when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia broke the deadlock in the 20th minute, driving a shot beyond the Villa goalkeeper after a lively opening spell in which the Georgian winger was involved in almost everything PSG created going forward.

Aston Villa, appearing in the fixture on the back of their Europa League triumph over Freiburg, their first major trophy since 1996 refused to fold. Sustained pressure from Unai Emery’s side paid off right on the stroke of half-time, as 17-year-old forward Brian Madjo pulled away from PSG defender Willian Pacho and finished confidently to level the score. It capped a remarkable few days for the teenager, who had only recently had a FIFA registration dispute resolved in time to make his competitive debut.

The game turned in PSG’s favor midway through the second half. In the 61st minute, Ousmane Dembélé slid a pass through for Désiré Doué, who finished smartly. The goal was initially ruled out for offside before VAR intervened, confirming that a Villa defender had played Doué onside. It proved the winning moment, Doué had only rejoined full training that Monday having been on international duty at the World Cup, yet Luis Enrique still trusted him with a start.

Villa pushed for an equalizer and arguably shaded the shot count late on, but PSG’s goalkeeper and defense held firm to see out the win. Captain Marquinhos lifted the trophy at full-time in front of the traveling supporters.

Behind-the-Scenes Friction

The build-up to the final wasn’t without controversy. According to reporting picked up before kickoff, PSG’s staff were unhappy that UEFA had assigned Aston Villa the larger home dressing room at the Red Bull Arena. PSG had complained to UEFA about the arrangement earlier in the week, and were eventually offered an additional room to compensate.

A Super Cup Played Under Unusual Circumstances

Both squads arrived in Salzburg significantly under cooked. The 2026 World Cup had wrapped up only around three weeks before the final, and PSG had 15 players involved in the tournament, leaving Luis Enrique short on preparation time. In his pre-match press conference, Enrique was unusually candid about not knowing what physical level his squad could produce, and stressed that avoiding burnout mattered more to him than adding an early season trophy. PSG’s warm-up form reflected the disruption: a heavy loss to Mallorca and a draw with Manchester United in the summer’s two friendlies.

Aston Villa, missing key names such as Ezri Konsa, Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martínez, all given extended leave after their run to the World Cup semi-finals used a much changed side of their own. Emery’s team had, however, played six pre-season friendlies compared to PSG’s two, giving Villa a relative sharpness advantage heading into the match.

The occasion also carried a layer of history for the two managers. Emery previously managed PSG, and the two clubs had met twice before in the quarter-finals of the 2024-25 Champions League, PSG winning the tie on aggregate after Villa fought back to win the second leg at Villa Park.

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Speaking to Canal+ after the match, Luis Enrique credited his players’ character given how little training time the group had together, calling the achievement far from straightforward under the circumstances. He echoed similar sentiments in later comments to PSG’s in-house media, saying the group had shown the same identity despite the mistakes and gaps in their preparation, and pointed to the enduring connection between the squad and the fans whenever they wear the shirt.

Summer signing Maghnes Akliouche also made his PSG debut in the match, coming through a 45-minute cameo that left a strong impression. Enrique was effusive about the 24 year-old’s performance afterward, praising the quality and personality he showed in only his first appearance for the club.

The win also saw Enrique match a European managerial trophy record held by Sir Alex Ferguson, underlining the growing list of honors he has collected since taking over at PSG.

What’s Next

PSG’s celebrations will be brief. The club is straight back into action just days later against Ligue 1 rivals Lens in the Trophée des Champions, the first of what could be as many as six trophies on offer to them this season. Aston Villa, meanwhile, return to competitive action with a friendly against Borussia Mönchengladbach before opening their 2026-27 Premier League campaign against Brighton & Hove Albion.