Aston Villa vs PSG in Salzburg – Emery’s Mission Impossible
Aston Villa face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup final at Stadion Salzburg on Wednesday 12 August — Europa League holders against Champions League holders. An unlikely win will lift Villa up a tier in English teams in terms of European royalty, as not many can boast two Super Cup wins to their name.
This week’s My Old Man Said podcast episode asks the question the squad list can’t quite answer yet: is Emery’s side actually ready, with the transfer window still open and noticeably weaker than in recent seasons due to injuries and World Cup returning players given extended holidays.
The team-news picture is complicated. Lucas Digne’s move to PSG has finally been made official, weeks after it was widely reported as done. Johan Manzambi is a confirmed absentee, having knee treatment with no return date given. And the three World Cup finalists – Emiliano Martínez, Ezri Konsa and Ollie Watkins – are still on holiday leaving Unai Emery to juggle what’s left of his side, while all of PSG World Cup players have returned to duty. The Villa boss maybe left in the position of starting the 17-year-old Brian Madjo, who has been called up to the squad.
Villa have seven players missing from the XI who started Villa’s last competitive meeting with PSG — Marcus Rashford, Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Amadou Onana, Martinez, Konsa, and Digne – and there won’t be an upgrade in any of the positions. If nothing else, the game will provide an unflinching assessment of where the squad actually stands with just over two weeks to go to the new season. At best, Villa, with a lot of luck will carry on their proud unbeaten European final history.
Odds, history, and one very specific plan for Alejandro Garnacho — this week’s My Old Man Said episode has the full build-up before kick-off, and the hope that the game will resemble the Peace Cup against Juventus in 2009 in more than just a youthful line-up.
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Credits:
David Michael – @myoldmansaid | Chris Budd – @BUDD_music
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Short and simple answer to your question NO Villa are no where near ready for the Super Cup and this is down to Emerie allowing Watkins, konsa, and Martinez to miss it , which is hard to believe, how for instance can he say that Watkins needs the time off when we all know he spent his time at the World Cup doing nothing else but sitting down watching the team playing, does he really think that the fans will be happy with this lame excuse.