On the eve of the UEFA Super Cup match between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa, Unai Emery acknowledged the Parisians’ status as favorites without abandoning his own ambitions. Speaking at a press conference, the Spanish coach described the fixture as a major opportunity to secure a trophy and make the 6,000 traveling fans from Birmingham proud.
Emery: “Playing for trophies is our goal”
“Of course, it’s always an opportunity. A trophy is something that can give us a special moment, and as professionals, playing for trophies is our goal. Naturally, if we win, we’re happy. If we don’t win, we aren’t. But the team we’re facing now is PSG, and of course, they are the favorites.”
By clearly casting PSG as the favorites, Emery acknowledges their strength while shifting some of the pressure onto his opponents. However, his stance is far from resigned; Aston Villa does not view this Super Cup merely as an honorary accolade. The English club arrives with a clear determination to add another trophy to its history.
Emery: “I’m looking forward to seeing how we measure up against them”
“But I’m looking forward to playing tomorrow, to seeing how we measure up against them during the match—given our capabilities, our current situation, and the squad we have available today. We’re having a good pre-season. We’re experimenting and working hard in training, trying to improve certain aspects for tomorrow, of course. Ultimately, though, the season itself is what matters most.”
The match also serves as a significant test for Aston Villa at the end of their summer preparations. Emery draws a distinction between the immediate importance of the trophy and the primary objective: the season as a whole. For Paris Saint-Germain, the fact that their opponents are still fine-tuning their squad offers no guarantee of an advantage: the Spaniard’s teams are generally capable of compensating for a lack of match fitness through their organization and tactical discipline.
Emery: “Huge motivation to give our best”
“But tomorrow, we are playing a very important match for our careers—as a manager, as players, and as a club: there is a trophy at stake. It is something that can make us proud of who we are and how we got here, and it explains why we can be extremely motivated tomorrow to give our best. The presence of 6,000 fans who have traveled from Birmingham also places a responsibility on us to try and play for them.”
Finally, Emery frames this Super Cup as a historic and collective occasion. The expected presence of 6,000 English fans should provide Aston Villa with significant backing and heighten their sense of responsibility. PSG will need to counter this emotional intensity with composure: in a one-off match, an underdog’s fervor can quickly become a heavy burden if the favorite fails to take control of the game.
