Paris Saint-Germain defeated Aston Villa 2-1 in Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg last night.
The odds were heavily stacked against the Birmingham outfit before tonight’s kick-off, but they gave Les Parisiens a run for their money and nearly took the game to penalties.
Luis Enrique’s side took the lead midway through the first half as Desire Doue set up Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
He cut inside from the left wing and unleashed a rocket into the top corner. Kvaratskhelia’s signature move fired PSG to an early lead, yet it wasn’t plain sailing by any stretch of the imagination.
Despite lacking numerous first-team stars, including Emiliano Martinez, Amadou Onana, Ollie Watkins and Ezri Konsa, Villa went toe-to-toe with PSG for large chunks of the first half.
Manager Unai Emery had every reason to believe they could pull off an upset against his former club, especially when Brian Madjo drew them level on the stroke of half-time.
The 17-year-old striker, who joined Villa from Metz in the summer, got on the end of John McGinn’s cross at the far post, sending a well-taken first-time shot just under the crossbar.
Ousmane Dembele’s introduction at the start of the second half changed the game’s dynamics.
Dembele teed Doue up with a defence-splitting pass. The former Rennes forward narrowly avoided offside before beating Bizot with a clinical finish with his weaker left foot.
Emery’s side had a glorious chance to respond immediately, only for Matvey Safonov to deny George Hemmings’ close-range shot with a superb reflex save.
After regaining the lead just after the hour mark, the reigning Ligue 1 champions took their feet off the gas, allowing Villa to take control of possession in a desperate pursuit of another equaliser.
However, it was always going to be a tall order for Emery’s depleted team.
PSG endured a late siege to become the first team since 2017 to win back-to-back Super Cup trophies, as Enrique completed a managerial hat-trick in this coveted European fixture.
Les Parisiens also extended their unbeaten run against Premier League opposition to 11 matches, including a penalty win over Tottenham Hotspur in last season’s Super Cup.
Meanwhile, Emery has now lost all four Super Cup ties, but given all the absences he had to cope with tonight, he cannot be too disappointed with his side’s spirited showing.
If it’s any consolation, Villa may have unearthed a gem. Based on tonight’s performance, Madjo could be a major coup despite his youth.
