The new European football season officially kicks off on Wednesday night with the UEFA Super Cup, pitting Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain against Europa League winners Tottenham Hotspur. The match, a first-ever competitive meeting between the two clubs, will be held at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine.
Predictably, PSG enters the match as the heavy favorite. The French giants are coming off a historic season that saw them win a domestic treble and their first-ever Champions League title. Their path to European glory included victories over four English teams – Liverpool, Aston Villa, Arsenal, and Manchester City. Despite a 3-0 loss to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final, the general consensus is that PSG's star-studded squad and settled tactical framework under manager Luis Enrique will be too much for Spurs to handle.
Tottenham, on the other hand, is in a period of transition under new manager Thomas Frank, who takes charge for his first competitive game. While they celebrated a long-awaited trophy last season by winning the Europa League, their pre-season form has been mixed, culminating in a heavy 4-0 defeat to Bayern Munich. The Lilywhites also face significant injury concerns, with key players like James Maddison (ACL), Dejan Kulusevski, and Radu Dragusin all sidelined. New signings, including João Palhinha and Mohammed Kudus, are expected to make their competitive debuts, but a number of first-team regulars are unavailable.
Analysts and bookmakers are predicting a comfortable victory for PSG, with several outlets suggesting a scoreline of 3-1 or 3-0. The main reason for this prediction is the perceived gulf in class and team stability between the two sides. PSG's attacking talent, headlined by Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué, is expected to exploit Tottenham's defensive vulnerabilities, which were exposed in their recent friendly against Bayern Munich.
Both teams will be eager to lift the trophy, with neither club having won the Super Cup before. For PSG, it’s an opportunity to assert their dominance and add another title to their remarkable haul. For Tottenham, it's a chance for new manager Frank to make a statement and for the team to build confidence ahead of a challenging Premier League season.
The match will go straight to a penalty shoot-out if the scores are level after 90 minutes. Kick-off is scheduled for 9pm local time (8pm BST).
