Aston Villa may have lost the UEFA Super Cup to Paris Saint-Germain, but Unai Emery’s team produced enough attacking football to believe they could have taken the trophy.
The defeat was Emery’s fourth in a UEFA Super Cup match, yet the performance offered little reason for the Spanish manager to be disappointed with his side’s football. Aston Villa controlled the second half of each period and created opportunities that could have changed the outcome against PSG.
That was particularly notable because PSG fielded a more senior starting line-up, while Aston Villa introduced several young players for the final 30 minutes. One of those youngsters, Brian Madjo, was among the team’s outstanding performers.
Euro-football.ru assessed Emery’s players on a 10-point scale and identified three Aston Villa players who came closest to earning a trophy-winning performance.
Pau Torres – 7.0
Pau Torres was the most dependable figure in an Aston Villa defence that endured a difficult evening.
The Spain international stood out as the side’s main defensive positive, dealing effectively with PSG’s attacking threat and closely restricting Maghnes Akliouche during the first half. While Matty Cash’s positioning contributed to the goals and allowed PSG to exploit the offside line, Torres continued to complete his defensive actions and see out each episode.
He was put under pressure by the pace of the PSG forwards, but Torres was not overpowered in the physical contests. Neither Desire Doue nor Akliouche was able to dominate him in the battle for the ball.
His performance was built more on concentration and resilience than speed, but Torres remained Aston Villa’s most reliable defender as PSG looked to make the difference.
John McGinn – 7.5
John McGinn was Aston Villa’s chief creative influence, particularly during the first half.
The Scotland international created three clear chances before the interval, while PSG managed only one. His deliveries repeatedly caused uncertainty in the Parisian defence, with the quality and variety of his crossing giving the attackers opportunities to threaten.
McGinn finished as the most dangerous player on the pitch from an attacking perspective. He recorded four key passes and supplied the assist for Madjo’s goal, underlining his importance to Aston Villa’s best moments.
His influence was not limited to possession or set-piece delivery. McGinn consistently looked to move the ball into dangerous areas and helped Aston Villa turn pressure into genuine chances as they pushed for a result.
Brian Madjo – 7.5
Brian Madjo provided the finishing touch to McGinn’s creativity and delivered an impressive display against Willian Pacho.
The 17-year-old repeatedly caused problems for the PSG defender, beating him in both physical challenges and moments of agility. Madjo scored from an extremely difficult position, having already powered beyond his marker before striking the post earlier in the match.
He also came close with a dangerous header that went over the bar. For much of the game, Madjo looked capable of making the decisive contribution and was one of Aston Villa’s most effective attacking players.
There were, however, two significant shortcomings. Madjo made the mistake that gifted PSG their first goal, and his influence faded after half-time before he eventually disappeared from the contest.
Even so, his display stood out in a match where Aston Villa’s younger players showed they could compete with a stronger PSG side. Alongside Torres and McGinn, Madjo was one of the players who came closest to turning an encouraging performance into UEFA Super Cup success.
