Paris Saint-Germain began the new season with a trophy as Desire Doue, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Matvey Safonov were identified as the three outstanding performers in their UEFA Super Cup victory over Aston Villa.
It is the second consecutive year that the trophy has travelled to the French capital, with PSG following last season’s success against Tottenham by overcoming another English opponent. This time, Aston Villa were the team beaten as Luis Enrique’s side made the ideal start to their campaign.
The performances of Safonov and Kvaratskhelia were particularly encouraging, but Doue received the highest individual mark in the assessment published by Euro-Football.ru. The ratings were subjective and based on a 10-point scale.
Doue the standout performer
Doue was awarded 8.5 and was judged to have played a decisive part in both of PSG’s goals.
He reacted quickly after Maggio lost possession, producing a single pass that sent Kvaratskhelia through to score. Doue then continued an attack that appeared to have broken down, reaching Ousmane Dembele’s seemingly hopeless pass before finishing from a tight angle past Bizot.
That goal proved to be the winner. It had initially been questioned because of a possible offside, but the effort ultimately stood and secured the trophy for PSG.
Doue’s contribution went beyond the finish. His awareness after Villa’s mistake created the opening for the first goal, while his determination to pursue Dembele’s pass kept the second opportunity alive. Those two moments made him the highest-rated player in the match.
Safonov makes strong claim
Safonov received a mark of 8.0 and delivered a performance that suggested he has no intention of surrendering the starting goalkeeper’s position.
The Russian goalkeeper was described as highly assured both on his line and when coming off it. He was repeatedly called upon to deal with danger and stood up to Maggio, who was causing problems for the PSG defence.
Safonov conceded only from a finish taken from a couple of metres beneath the crossbar. He also made three very difficult saves from attempts inside the penalty area, ensuring that Aston Villa could not turn their pressure into further goals.
His display was therefore seen as an emphatic start to the season and a warning to Suzuki, who may be competing for the same role. Safonov’s handling, positioning and willingness to intervene outside his goal helped PSG protect their advantage.
Kvaratskhelia provides the spark
Kvaratskhelia also scored 8.0 after producing an energetic attacking performance.
The Georgia international looked sharp and ready for the new campaign. He beat Cash with a clever piece of skill before striking beneath the crossbar to open the scoring.
Kvaratskhelia twice created shooting opportunities for himself through his dribbling and also launched a dangerous attack with a pass to Nuno Mendes. Aston Villa’s powerful defenders struggled to move him away from the ball, with the PSG forward winning five of his seven duels.
Together, the three players formed the key figures in PSG’s latest trophy success: Safonov’s saves protected the team, Kvaratskhelia supplied the first breakthrough and Doue made the decisive contribution at both ends of the scoring sequence.
