The 2025 UEFA Super Cup delivered a tense, tightly contested clash in Salzburg on Wednesday, where Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning Champions League winners, edged out Europa League champions Aston Villa 2-1 to defend their continental title. This marked the French club’s second consecutive Super Cup victory, a year after they claimed the crown against England’s Tottenham Hotspur, cementing their reputation as the dominant force in European club football ahead of the new domestic season.
Both managers fielded largely strong starting lineups, eager to lay down an early marker for the year ahead. PSG’s first XI included nine of the players who lifted the Champions League trophy against Arsenal back in May, anchored by star midfielder Vitinha, new signing Joao Neves and captain Marquinhos. Recently recruited French left-back Lucas Digne, who completed his move to the Parisians from Villa just three days prior, started the match on the bench against his former side. For Villa, manager Unai Emery rested key World Cup contributors Ezri Konsa, Emi Martinez and Ollie Watkins, but handed competitive debuts to Brazilian midfielder Joao Gomes and 17-year-old striker Brian Madjo. The match also marked Boubacar Kamara’s first start for Villa since he suffered a season-threatening serious knee injury back in January.
It was Kamara who threatened first for the Premier League side, curling a low long-range effort just wide of PSG goalkeeper Matvey Safonov’s post in the 13th minute. The close call jolted PSG into action, and seven minutes later, winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia broke the deadlock. After a saved initial effort was recycled back into the box, the Georgian cutting in from the left unleashed a powerful strike that beat Villa keeper Marco Bizot at the near post. Kvaratskhelia dominated Villa’s right flank for the next 15 minutes, creating another clear opening shortly after his opener that evaded onrushing PSG attackers.
Villa absorbed PSG’s pressure and grew into the game, and 17-year-old Madjo had multiple chances to level the score before finally finding the back of the net in first-half stoppage time. Scottish veteran midfielder John McGinn picked out the teenage striker in the penalty area, and Madjo fired a powerful left-footed effort into the top of the net to put Villa level at 1-1 on his senior competitive debut.
PSG manager Luis Enrique made a key substitution at half time, introducing Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele in place of new recruit Maghnes Akliouche to reinvigorate his side’s attack. Villa continued to push after the break, with McGinn forcing a sharp save from Safonov with a curling effort just after the restart. The game’s decisive moment came in the 61st minute, when French winger Desire Doue raced onto a through ball down the right flank before bending a clinical strike past Bizot into the far corner. The goal was initially ruled out for offside by the assistant referee, but a VAR review found Villa right-back Matty Cash kept Doue onside, and the decision was overturned, giving PSG their 2-1 lead.
Villa almost equalized instantly through 19-year-old substitute George Hemmings, but Safonov made a solid stop to preserve PSG’s lead. In the closing 15 minutes, Enrique introduced World Cup-winning midfielder Fabian Ruiz to shore up PSG’s central midfield and see out the result. Villa’s best late chance fell to striker Tammy Abraham, who just failed to make contact with a low cut-back inside the six-yard box in the final 10 minutes. PSG held on to secure the win, kicking off their new season with silverware as they target a third consecutive Champions League title to extend their European dynasty. The match also made headlines for its referee, Somalia’s Omar Artan, who took charge of the high-profile fixture just three months after he was infamously turned away upon arrival at Miami International Airport despite being a FIFA-listed World Cup referee.