Paris Saint-Germain became the first team to successfully defend the UEFA Super Cup title since 2017 following a thrilling 2-1 victory over Aston Villa in Salzburg. A decisive second-half strike from Désiré Doué proved to be the difference, allowing the French champions to lift the trophy once again in a compelling contest against English opposition.
Luis Enrique named a formidable starting lineup containing nine players who featured in May’s Champions League triumph over Arsenal. Despite several key figures having only recently returned to pre-season training following the FIFA World Cup, the Parisian side eventually found their rhythm after an initial period of adaptation.
Kvaratskhelia Sparks Early Parisian Lead
PSG made their intentions clear early in the match, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia continuing his remarkable individual form against English clubs. In the 20th minute, the Georgian forward cut inside from the flank and unleashed a powerful strike past Marco Bizot to put PSG ahead. Kvaratskhelia's goal extended his impressive record against Premier League opposition, adding to the four goals he netted against English sides during the previous campaign.
The opening goal also extended PSG's extraordinary scoring run to 29 consecutive matches across all competitions. Luis Enrique's side nearly doubled their lead shortly after when full-back Nuno Mendes breached the Aston Villa defense, though his low cross unfortunately failed to connect with a teammate inside the penalty area.
Villa's Teenage Prodigy Strikes Back
Aston Villa responded with growing confidence as the first half progressed, heavily driven by 17-year-old debutant Brian Madjo. The youngster gave the PSG backline immediate trouble, heading wide from a John McGinn cross before missing two further golden opportunities—heading over from close range and later striking the outside of the post after getting past Willian Pacho.
Madjo’s persistence finally paid off on his fourth attempt just before the interval. Connecting with another pin-point delivery from McGinn, Madjo dispatched a first-time volley into the roof of the net to draw Villa level. The historic strike made the promising forward the youngest goalscorer in UEFA Super Cup history, sending the two teams into the break on equal terms.
Doué Seals Retainable Glory After VAR Review
Luis Enrique introduced Ousmane Dembélé at the start of the second period in place of Maghnes Akliouche to rejuvenate the attack. Aston Villa created the initial threat after the restart, forcing a fine save from Matvéi Safónov through a curling effort from McGinn, but PSG soon re-established their dominance.
Just past the hour mark, Désiré Doué broke through the offside trap and calmly slotted the ball past Bizot. Although initially ruled out by the assistant referee for offside, a swift VAR review confirmed that Doué was inside, awarding PSG the critical goal to restore their 2-1 lead.
Aston Villa pushed hard for a late equalizer, with young midfielder George Hemmings testing Safónov before Warren Zaïre-Emery produced a vital block to deny a powerful attempt from new Villa signing João Gomes. Substitute Alysson later flashed a dangerous ball across the six-yard box, but no Villa attacker could convert the final touch.
PSG successfully managed the closing minutes to secure the 2-1 victory, cementing their dominance on the continental stage. The result leaves Villa manager Unai Emery still searching for his first Super Cup title after four attempts, while Luis Enrique celebrated his third triumph in the competition. Furthermore, the victory extended PSG's incredible unbeaten run against Premier League teams to 11 matches, featuring 10 wins and a draw.