PSG/Aston Villa – Emery admits PSG are better, but won't give up

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·12 August 2026

PSG/Aston Villa – Emery admits PSG are better, but won't give up

On the eve of the UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa, Unai Emery acknowledged the Parisians’ status as favorites without giving up on his ambitions. Asked about it at a press conference, the Spanish coach described this occasion as a major opportunity to win a trophy and make the 6,000 supporters who traveled from Birmingham proud.

Emery: “Playing for trophies is our objective”

“Of course, it is always an opportunity. A trophy is something that can give us a special moment and, as professionals, playing for trophies is our objective. Then, if we win, of course, we are happy. If we do not win, we are not happy. But the team we are facing now is PSG and, of course, they are favorites.”

By clearly placing PSG in the favorite’s role, Emery acknowledges Paris’s strength while shifting some of the pressure onto his opponent. His message, however, is far from resigned: Aston Villa does not see this Super Cup as a mere honorary reward. The English club is coming in with the clear intention of adding a trophy to its history.

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Emery: “I’m looking forward to seeing how we can measure ourselves against them”

“But I’m looking forward to playing tomorrow, to seeing how we can measure ourselves against them during this match, with our abilities, our current situation and the players we have available today. We are having a good preseason. We are experimenting and working in training, trying to improve certain things for tomorrow, of course. After that, the most important thing will be the season.”

The match also represents a full-scale test for Aston Villa at the end of its summer preparation. Emery distinguishes the immediate importance of the trophy from the broader priority of the season as a whole. For Paris Saint-Germain, this phase of adjustment on the other side guarantees no advantage: the Spaniard’s teams are generally capable of making up for a lack of rhythm through their organization and tactical discipline.

Emery: “A huge motivation to give the best of ourselves”

“But tomorrow, we are going to play a very important match for our careers, as a coach, players and club: there is a trophy at stake. It is something that can make us proud of who we are, of the way we got here, and that explains why we can be extremely motivated tomorrow to give the best of ourselves. The presence of 6,000 supporters from Birmingham also gives us the responsibility of trying to play for them.”

Finally, Emery gives this Super Cup a historical and collective dimension. The expected presence of 6,000 English supporters should provide Aston Villa with considerable backing and strengthen its sense of responsibility. PSG will have to respond to that emotional intensity with composure: in a one-off match, the passion of an underdog can quickly become a factor if the favorite does not take control of events.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.