Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa faced off this Wednesday at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg for the 2026 UEFA Super Cup. The match ended in a 2-1 victory for Paris. After the game, the English club’s manager spoke to Canal+ and in the press conference.
Emery: “I want to use my experience to avoid mistakes.”
A frustrating defeat, but were there positives too? Was a better result within reach?
Yes, of course. Before the match, the plan we had led to certain decisions. We chose to play with players who were ready, avoiding risks with others—specifically by giving time off to those who played until the very end of the World Cup, like Martinez, Watkins, and Konsa. They are key players, and managing the squad properly is important. We need to be competitive and keep moving forward; it’s the start of the season.
I want to use my experience to avoid mistakes. I am very happy; young players got to play who hadn’t seen any minutes last year. There is still work to be done, but they showed they can be part of the squad.
(…) We wanted to be smart. We could have won, drawn, or lost regardless of the lineup. So, I decided not to use certain players, even though they wanted to play. I told them to keep resting. I am happy with our decision. It’s also important for young players to feel they can perform well and to build their confidence.
They responded well, both tactically and individually. They felt they could go toe-to-toe with PSG. I wanted this trophy, but we had to prepare for the match given the circumstances. We could have had a better result, but I am proud of the players.
Emery: “They weren’t at their peak, but they had their best players out there.”
Does today feel like a victory?
No, it’s a defeat. We play to win. But we also play for the team. We’ll play other matches like this one against PSG. They weren’t at their best, though they had their top players out there. We played with character. We grew in confidence as the match went on. In the first 20 minutes, we weren’t quite ready to assert ourselves. After that, we executed the plan just as I wanted—in the duels, the pressing, and the possession. That was the plan, even though we lost.
Where does PSG rank in football history?
They’ve reached a very high level; they play well and can go on winning trophies for a long time.
Is Kvaratskhelia the favorite for the Ballon d’Or?
He played very well at Napoli and is proving himself at PSG. He didn’t play in the World Cup and was in great form tonight, scoring the kind of goal only he can. We wanted to keep him quiet, but we couldn’t. It’s not my call, but he is a contender.
