Salzburg sees Paris Saint-Germain secure Super Cup victory over Aston Villa
Paris Saint-Germain claims Super Cup title
Paris Saint-Germain defeated Aston Villa 2-1 in Salzburg to lift the Super Cup, marking their second consecutive win in the competition. The victory means Paris Saint-Germain is only the third team in history to achieve back-to-back Super Cup titles. The match saw goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Désiré Doué for Paris, while Brian Madjo scored for Aston Villa.
The opening goal came in the 20th minute from Kvaratskhelia, who received a pass from Doué. Kvaratskhelia then cut inside and fired a shot past Aston Villa’s goalkeeper, Marco Bizot. Aston Villa responded positively to going behind, with Brian Madjo, a 17-year-old debutant, proving to be a challenge for the Paris defence. Madjo, who is the youngest player on record to start a Super Cup game, equalised just before half-time, steering a volley home from John McGinn’s cross. This goal also made him the youngest-ever Super Cup scorer.
Aston Villa, despite being under pressure at times, demonstrated a spirited performance. They created several chances, with Madjo having a hat-trick of opportunities from McGinn’s crosses before he found the net. The team’s captain, McGinn, also tested Paris Saint-Germain’s goalkeeper, Matvei Safonov, with a bending strike early in the second half.
Key moments and match-winner
Paris Saint-Germain regained the lead in the 61st minute when Doué latched onto a pass from substitute Ousmane Dembélé, finishing past Bizot. Doué’s goal was initially disallowed due to an offside call, but a VAR review confirmed that Matty Cash had played him onside, leading to the goal being awarded by referee Omar Artan.
The match was described as an absorbing contest, with Aston Villa playing a significant role in the enthralling showpiece. Unai Emery’s side had chances to take the lead, and even after Paris Saint-Germain’s second goal, they continued to push for an equaliser. Warren Zaïre-Emery made a crucial block to deny João Gomes a debut goal, and Safonov repelled a strike from George Hemmings. Substitutes Alysson and Tammy Abraham also combined in an attempt to level the score, but Abraham did not capitalise on the opportunity.
For Paris Saint-Germain, the victory marks a successful start to their European campaign. Coach Luis Enrique has now claimed his third Super Cup as a head coach, having previously won with Barcelona in 2015 and Paris Saint-Germain in 2025. Only Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola have more than two Super Cup titles as coaches.
Team performances and upcoming fixtures
Aston Villa’s lineup for the match featured only five players from their previous victory over Freiburg, with key players like Emi Martínez, Ezri Konsa, and Ollie Watkins still on holiday. Boubacar Kamara made his first start since sustaining a serious knee injury in January. The inclusion of Madjo, who arrived from Metz for £10m in January, was notable, as Villa had won an appeal at the court of arbitration to register him after FIFA had initially prohibited him from playing. Madjo had scored against Walsall, Real Sociedad, and Indonesia All Stars in pre-season.
Paris Saint-Germain’s squad saw Ousmane Dembélé replace Maghnes Akliouche at half-time. The team was only missing Fabián Ruiz from the starting lineup that had defeated Arsenal in Budapest in May, with Ruiz later replacing João Neves.
Following this Super Cup triumph, Paris Saint-Germain is scheduled to compete in another final on Sunday, facing French Cup winners Lens in the Champions Trophy. Meanwhile, Aston Villa has a friendly match against Mönchengladbach on Saturday before commencing their Premier League campaign on Sunday, 23 August, with an away fixture against Brighton.
Both teams will also be monitoring the UEFA Champions League league phase draw, which is set to take place on Thursday, 27 August.
Source: theguardian.com
Isla Hartley is a Sports Reporter at NewsUK. She covered the British summer of sport from Wimbledon to the Test grounds. She focuses on tennis, cricket and athletics and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. She holds a degree in Sports Studies from the University of Stirling and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Glasgow, she runs half-marathons and follows Scottish athletics. “The overlooked athlete usually has the better story.”
