On Wednesday, August 12, Paris Saint-Germain (Champions League winners) and Aston Villa (Europa League winners) will face off in Salzburg for the 2026 UEFA Super Cup. The Athletic journalist Jacob Tanswell has reported that the English club will be without Johan Manzambi (a 20-year-old midfielder/forward); he arrived this summer following an impressive World Cup campaign with Switzerland but sustained an injury during the tournament. Meanwhile, John McGinn (a 31-year-old midfielder) is a major doubt after picking up an injury during Tuesday’s friendly against Pathum United.
Naturally, neither team will be at 100% for this first competitive match of the season. PSG’s Achraf Hakimi and Fabian Ruiz are unlikely to start, and it is uncertain whether they will even be fit enough to come off the bench. Nevertheless, these are significant blows for Aston Villa, particularly if McGinn’s injury is confirmed. Manzambi’s absence comes as less of a surprise.
As a reminder, Amadou Onana (a 24-year-old midfielder) is already ruled out for several more months following a serious injury sustained during the World Cup with Belgium. Aston Villa have another friendly this Friday against Bayern Munich, while PSG face Manchester United on Saturday at 5:00 PM.
