Enrique and Emery chase glory: Mourinho and Zidane's record under threat in the European Super Cup
Who has the edge in the all-Spanish battle?
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has a golden chance to reach several milestones through the gateway of the UEFA Super Cup when his side face Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday evening in the Austrian city of Salzburg.
The Spaniard wrote more history last season, strengthening his record as the manager with the most Europa League titles by taking his tally to 5.
The Super Cup curse
Yet the UEFA Super Cup tells a very different story. Emery has never won it, despite reaching the final 3 times.
His first attempt came as Sevilla manager, when he lost 2-0 to Real Madrid in 2014. He fell the following year to Barcelona, beaten 5-4 after extra time.
A third shot arrived in 2021, this time at the helm of Villarreal, but again he failed to lift the trophy.
Ironically, after leading Sevilla to a third consecutive Europa League title in 2016, Emery left the club to take charge of Paris Saint-Germain, the very side he faces today in the Super Cup final.
Will he be crowned for a sixth time?
All 5 of Emery's titles in UEFA club competitions came in the Europa League, which makes him a candidate to surpass coaching legends should he win the Super Cup, according to statistics from "Squawka".
Those five titles put the Spaniard level with a host of greats in the history of European football, namely Bob Paisley, Zinedine Zidane, Nereo Rocco, Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal.
Win a sixth and he moves past that group to equal Italian coaching legend Arrigo Sacchi.
Only Carlo Ancelotti with 11 titles, plus Pep Guardiola, Sir Alex Ferguson and Giovanni Trapattoni on 7 apiece, would then rank above him on the list of the most successful managers in European club competitions.
Enrique to join the legends
Luis Enrique already holds two UEFA Super Cup titles, having led Barcelona to the trophy in 2015 and Paris Saint-Germain to the title in 2025.
The PSG boss also won the tournament as a player back in 1997.
Guide Paris Saint-Germain to another title and Luis Enrique becomes the third manager in history to win the UEFA Super Cup 3 or more times, joining Italy's Carlo Ancelotti, the record holder with 5 titles, and Pep Guardiola, who has won it 4 times.
Read also:
Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa: will the UEFA Super Cup remain the preserve of the Champions League winner?
From Barcelona to Paris: Aston Villa challenge Liverpool's enduring record
A rare list: Paris Saint-Germain target Real Madrid's historic feat
