Unai Emery expressed his thoughts on the test in the Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain.
The curtain riser for European football will witness another reunion for the Basque boss with one of his old clubs. The Parisiens have reached unparalleled heights under Luis Enrique, but Emery has equally excelled himself and the expectations of Aston Villa with his work since November 2022.
'If we are competing in our best way, we can have our chances'
It is not the first time that we have seen this fixture in recent years: the two teams met in the Champions League quarterfinals in April 2025. PSG earned a 3-1 victory at the Parc des Princes before going two goals to the good in the first half hour of the second leg at Villa Park.
Goals from Youri Tielemans, John McGinn and Ezri Konsa nearly pulled off a remarkable comeback in the Midlands, but the Parisiens would not be stopped on the way to their maiden continental crown.
Squad changes since the quarterfinal
Since that two-legged affair, Tielemans, Lucas Digne, Morgan Rogers and Marcus Rashford have left the squad. Konsa, Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martinez miss out on the matchday squad as they have received extra rest after the World Cup, while Amadou Onana is injured until the new year.
But Emery is still confident that his camp can learn from those encounters to test the Parisians again.
"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.
"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. 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 in the second half, really being protagonists and dominating against the best team.
Belief from the Villa Park comeback
"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."
