Paris Saint-Germain secured a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg to win the UEFA Super Cup. Desire Doue scored the winning goal in the 61st minute, running onto a pass from Ousmane Dembele to restore the lead for the Ligue 1 side. The goal was initially ruled out for offside before a video assistant referee (VAR) review confirmed that Matty Cash played Doue onside.
Paris Saint-Germain Defeats Aston Villa to Win UEFA Super Cup
The victory marks the second year that PSG has won the Super Cup, making them the first team to retain the trophy since Real Madrid in 2016 and 2017. Manager Luis Enrique’s side started the match slowly after many of their World Cup players returned to training only a week prior, but Khvicha Kvaratskhelia put the Champions League holders ahead in the 20th minute by cutting inside and beating Marco Bizot with a powerful strike.
Brian Madjo Makes History on Competitive Debut for Villa
Aston Villa’s response was spearheaded by 17-year-old Brian Madjo, who became the youngest player to start and score in a UEFA Super Cup final. Making his competitive debut for Villa, the forward shook off a challenge from Willian Pacho to connect with a cross from John McGinn and volley an equaliser into the roof of the net on the stroke of half-time.
Madjo’s inclusion came after a prolonged dispute with FIFA over his registration following a £10m transfer from Metz in January. Because under-18 players cannot complete international transfers, Villa took their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in July, winning the appeal just eight days before the match.
Before his historic goal, Madjo had three other opportunities, heading wide, shooting past the post, and sending an effort over the crossbar. Unai Emery praised the teenager’s performance, noting that his contributions went beyond scoring to include defensive commitment and tactical discipline. Fellow teenager George Hemmings also featured for Villa, coming close to an equaliser after the restart only to be denied by goalkeeper Matvey Safonov.
Match Officials and Historical Context
The fixture was overseen by Somali referee Omar Artan, who became the first non-European referee to take charge of the Super Cup. UEFA appointed Artan after he was barred by the United States from officiating at the FIFA World Cup due to unproven vetting concerns.
For PSG, the win represents the first of six possible trophies for the campaign. Luis Enrique has now won the Super Cup three times in his career, with his last two victories coming against English opponents following a win over Tottenham Hotspur 12 months prior. Unai Emery remains without a Super Cup title after four attempts, though Aston Villa earned praise from their manager for competing strongly despite missing key players such as Ollie Watkins, Ezri Konsa, and Emiliano Martinez due to extended post-World Cup breaks.
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