Unai Emery has built an exceptional record in the Europa League, but one European trophy is still missing from his collection.
The Aston Villa manager lifted his fifth Europa League title in May after Villa defeated Freiburg in Istanbul, ending the club’s 30 year wait for a major trophy. The UEFA Super Cup, however, remains a competition Emery has never managed to win.
On Wednesday in Salzburg, he will get another opportunity when Aston Villa face Champions League holders Paris St Germain.
Emery gets another chance to end his Super Cup wait
Emery has already made it clear that individual targets matter to him. Last season, he spoke about wanting Aston Villa to finish third in the Premier League because it was something he had not previously achieved with the club.
Fourth place was still a strong result, but for a coach with Emery’s attention to detail, missing a target can provide extra motivation.
The same attitude is likely to apply to the Super Cup. Some may view the fixture as little more than a prestigious pre season contest, but for Emery it remains an official trophy and another opportunity to add to his record.
His previous attempts have ended in disappointment. Emery lost Super Cup finals against Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea. The first two defeats came while he was in charge of Sevilla, before Villarreal were beaten by Chelsea on penalties in Dublin in 2021.
Previous finals have brought painful defeats
One of Emery’s closest attempts came in 2015, when Sevilla were beaten 5 4 after extra time by a Barcelona side inspired by Lionel Messi. A year earlier, Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid defeated Emery’s Sevilla to claim the trophy.
Emery had already moved to PSG when Sevilla suffered another Super Cup defeat against Real Madrid in 2016.
Now he will face one of his former clubs at the Red Bull Arena. Around 6,000 Aston Villa supporters are expected to travel, giving Emery another opportunity to finally change his record in the competition.
Villa captain John McGinn has even reminded his manager about the previous defeat to Chelsea, underlining that Emery’s history in the fixture has not been forgotten.
Villa see the final as more than a friendly
Emery has made clear that he considers the match a genuine chance to win silverware. He believes trophies create special moments for players, supporters and clubs, while competing for them remains one of the main objectives in professional football.
The Villa manager accepts that PSG enter the game as favourites, but he is interested in seeing how his team’s level compares with the Champions League winners.
For Emery, the occasion carries value beyond the result itself. Reaching the Super Cup reflects what Aston Villa achieved last season, while winning it would give the club another trophy and finally end one of the few frustrating sequences in his European career.
