Mbappé and stars return for PSG’s Super Cup final against Aston Villa.
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is gearing up for their first major final of the season, the 2026 European Super Cup, and coach Luis Enrique will have his squad nearly complete. The list of players called up for the clash against Aston Villa, released this Tuesday, confirms the return of key players who were on vacation after the World Cup.
The presence of stars like Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Warren Zaire-Emery, and Achraf Hakimi significantly strengthens the Parisian team. These players, who were absent from preparatory friendlies, now join new signings Lucas Digne and Maghnes Akliouche, bringing the total number of available players for the decisive match to 26.
Preparation and Stars’ Return
The return of the main stars is a relief for the Spanish manager. In recent friendlies, PSG showed difficulties, with a heavy 3-0 defeat to Mallorca and a 1-1 draw with Manchester United. In those matches, the team did not yet have its full strength. Now, with the complete squad, the expectation is for a more consistent performance in the pursuit of the European title.
Aston Villa in Transition
On the other side, Aston Villa enters the competition at a transitional moment. Under coach Unai Emery, the English club has played a series of friendlies with a mostly positive performance, accumulating five wins in six games. However, their last test resulted in a 2-1 defeat against Bayern Munich in Hong Kong. The team aims to consolidate its new phase this season by winning the European Super Cup.
History and Decisive Confrontation
This will be only the third encounter between PSG and Aston Villa in history. The most recent match occurred in the quarterfinals of the 2024/25 Champions League, where the French team won the first leg 3-1 in Paris, but the English team put up a fight in the return leg, winning 3-2.
Now, the venue for deciding the title is the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg, Austria. The single-match final, scheduled for this Wednesday at 4 PM (Brasília time), will pit the continental champions against each other, promising a high-level spectacle to officially kick off the European season.
Winning the European Super Cup represents PSG‘s first official objective of the season, serving as an important indicator for future competitions, including the defense of their domestic titles and the quest for the coveted Champions League trophy. For Aston Villa, victory would be a seal of approval for Emery‘s work and a significant boost for the remainder of the season.
By Equipe M360
