Emery looks ahead to ‘another opportunity’ in Super Cup

Unai Emery has described the UEFA Super Cup as "another opportunity" for Aston Villa to continue our growth as a club, ahead of Wednesday’s meeting with Paris Saint-Germain. 

The Europa League winners take on PSG – who last season retained their Champions League crown – in Salzburg, on what will be only our second Super Cup appearance in history.

Having lifted Villa’s first trophy in 30 years in Istanbul in May, Emery believes another test against the French outfit shows how much the Villans have grown on and off the field since his arrival, and how much occasions like these can continue to propel the club forward.

He said: “If we are being successful, it’s because we are getting a good development in everything – about the club, about the players – and through it as well, we can add more followers or get more brand in the world of football.

“To play (in the) Super Cup is another opportunity to be there – the opportunity to win a trophy, to play against PSG, the better team now in the world than other teams we can compare with them.

“How we are going to play, enjoying the moment we will have with our supporters for this Super Cup, is something for our history and future of this club. It’s really fantastic, because we are in the top positions when we are having matches like we are going to play.

“Of course, PSG is a huge test, because normally they will have the opportunity as a favourite to win this trophy, but how we are collectively as a club – individually, even myself competing with Luis Enrique – is something that makes us so proud of how we are in the football world now.”

It will be the third time in history Villa and PSG have faced off against one another, after a two-legged tie in the quarter-finals of the 2024/25 Champions League.

While Emery acknowledges the clear differences between then and now, he feels the encouragement his side drew from pushing the Parisians all the way can help them prepare this time around.

“Different moment, even different players. A few years between one team and another team, but a lot of changes.

“How we can identify our power with PSG comparing with the two matches we played – as well, two very different matches (to each other).

“In Paris, we lost 3-1 and we played a good match, but not being protagonists like the second match.

“The second leg, we were exploiting more our potential in attack, having a really good moment to come back the result during the second half, really being protagonists and dominating against the best team.

“At the end, we didn’t achieve it. But overall, we could feel playing against PSG, one team like that, we could achieve the level they had. Our players as well, I think for our belief, it was very important the way we played.

“We are going to try and use the same message in the dressing room, and we are going to prepare the game thinking they will feel favourites, but if we are competing in our best way, we can have our chances.”

Ahead of the Europa League final, Emery discussed a “new era” with regards to what winning a trophy would signify for the club.

He is pleased to see his message justified, feeling gratitude towards European competitions for what they have given him throughout his managerial career, and is now keen to see his side continue to compete on the continental stage.

The Villa boss concluded: “Very important, how we are doing the way, and in football we are trying to be successful through firstly building a winning team, and then with the positive consequences after it, to win trophies.

“For me, Europe is very important personally, because I am playing in Europe as a manager, 16-17 years in a row. And of course, it gave me a lot, Europe. And to achieve it with Aston Villa is something I am feeling the club is taking a new era with this possibility to fight for trophies.

“The first objective we had here when I arrived was (to) play in Europe, being consistent. Of course, if it’s Champions League, better, but Europa League or Conference League. And through it, try to be a contender for trophies in Europe.

“We played the semi-final three years ago, Conference League, we played the quarter-final (of the) Champions League two years ago, and we played the final and we have won this trophy last year in Europa League. It’s something that makes sense, my message when I arrived here.”