-
Paris Saint-Germain defeated Aston Villa 2-1 in Salzburg to retain the UEFA Super Cup and claim the trophy for a second consecutive year.
-
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring before 17-year-old Brian Madjo produced a historic equaliser for Aston Villa on his debut.
-
Désiré Doué restored PSG’s lead in the second half after VAR overturned an initial offside decision.
-
The victory adds another European trophy to PSG’s remarkable run after their Champions League triumph over Arsenal earlier this year.
August 12, (THEWILL) — Paris Saint-Germain have retained the UEFA Super Cup after overcoming a determined Aston Villa side 2-1 at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg on Wednesday, with Désiré Doué scoring the decisive goal in a dramatic second half.
The victory continues an extraordinary period for Luis Enrique’s team, who have now followed their Champions League triumph with another major European trophy.
PSG also become the second club in the modern era to successfully retain the UEFA Super Cup, matching Real Madrid’s achievement from 2016 and 2017.
PSG started the final with confidence and quickly established control of possession, eventually finding the breakthrough in the 20th minute.
Kvaratskhelia collected a pass from Doué, moved inside from the flank and produced a superb finish into the top corner, giving Aston Villa goalkeeper Marco Bizot no realistic chance of keeping it out.
The goal was briefly placed under scrutiny by VAR because of a possible offside in the build-up, but the review eventually confirmed the strike and PSG were allowed to keep their advantage.
Villa, however, refused to allow the setback to dictate the contest.
Unai Emery’s side arrived in Salzburg without several important players following their involvement at the World Cup, including Ollie Watkins, Ezri Konsa and Emiliano Martínez, forcing the manager to rely on a younger squad.
That decision produced one of the defining moments of the final.
Seventeen-year-old Brian Madjo announced himself on the European stage in first-half stoppage time, turning a John McGinn cross into the net to bring Villa level at 1-1.
READ ALSO: PSG Face Aston Villa Tonight As European Champions Clash For Super Cup Glory
Madjo had threatened PSG earlier in the half but had been unable to convert his opportunities. When the chance finally arrived, the teenager made no mistake, completing a remarkable debut and becoming the youngest player to score in the UEFA Super Cup.
The equaliser gave Villa a huge lift heading into the interval and transformed what had looked like a comfortable PSG evening into a genuine contest.
Villa returned from half-time with renewed energy, but PSG gradually regained their composure and began finding openings again. The pressure eventually produced another decisive moment in the 61st minute.
Doué appeared to have scored from an offside position, and the assistant referee initially raised the flag. However, VAR intervened and the decision was overturned after a review, allowing the goal to stand and putting PSG back in front.
The goal proved crucial as Villa immediately looked for another response. Emery attempted to change the flow of the match with a triple substitution around the hour mark, sending fresh legs onto the pitch in an effort to unsettle PSG’s defence.
The Champions League holders, however, refused to surrender their advantage.
PSG became increasingly disciplined as the final whistle approached, limiting Villa’s opportunities and forcing the Europa League winners to search for openings that rarely came.
Enrique’s players showed the experience of a side accustomed to managing high-pressure European matches and successfully protected their 2-1 lead.
The victory gives PSG another piece of silverware just weeks after their Champions League success against Arsenal in Budapest. That triumph ended years of frustration in Europe and established Enrique’s side as continental champions.
They have now added the Super Cup to that achievement.
READ ALSO: Netherlands Appoint Xavi as New Coach, Becomes First Non-Dutch Manager in Nearly Five Decades
For Villa, the result represents a disappointing end to what has nevertheless been a remarkable European journey.
Emery’s team earned their place in the Super Cup by winning the Europa League, beating Freiburg in the final and securing their first major European trophy since their famous European Cup triumph in 1982.
Their night in Salzburg will nevertheless be remembered for Madjo’s extraordinary emergence.
The 17-year-old arrived on the biggest stage of his young career, endured missed chances, then responded with a historic goal against the reigning European champions.
His performance provided Villa with hope for the future even though PSG ultimately had too much quality and experience to be denied.
Kvaratskhelia gave PSG the perfect start, Madjo produced the fairytale moment for Villa, and Doué delivered when the European champions needed him most.
In the end, PSG survived the fightback, retained the UEFA Super Cup and continued their remarkable rise to the summit of European football.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
