Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa: will the European Super Cup remain exclusive to the Champions League winner?
History backs the coach Luis Enrique's men
All eyes turn this Wednesday evening to the Austrian city of Salzburg, where Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain meet Europa League holders Aston Villa in a much-anticipated clash for the UEFA Super Cup. History points firmly towards the winners of Europe's premier competition.
PSG want to keep the trophy they lifted for the first time last year. They trailed Tottenham before hauling themselves level and settling matters on penalties, and victory here would make them only the third team in the tournament's history to retain the UEFA Super Cup across two consecutive seasons.
Seven consecutive editions for the Champions League winners
Recent form offers PSG an extra lift. The last seven editions of the Super Cup have all gone to the Champions League winners.
Run through the roll call: Liverpool beat Chelsea in 2019, Bayern Munich saw off Sevilla in 2020, Chelsea downed Villarreal in 2021, Real Madrid overcame Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022, Manchester City brushed aside Sevilla in 2023, and Real Madrid got the better of Atalanta in 2024, before PSG themselves clinched the title against Tottenham Hotspur last year.
Atlético Madrid were the last Europa League winners to snatch the Super Cup, edging out Real Madrid in 2018. The Champions League winners have ruled the competition ever since.
Three times Atlético pulled off that feat, in 2010, 2012 and 2018. Zenit Saint Petersburg were the last other Europa League side to lift the Super Cup before the Spaniards' run.
Across all 50 editions held so far, the Champions League winners have collected 30 Super Cup titles, according to the official website of the European governing body "UEFA".
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