Aston Villa will have significant absences for the clash against Paris Saint-Germain this Wednesday, August 12, 2026, in the Uefa Super Cup. Goalkeeper Dibu Martínez, defender Konsa and striker Ollie Watkins will not participate in the match. The absence of these three crucial players was confirmed by Spanish coach Unai Emery in a press conference on the eve of the clash.
As Emery explained, the athletes received an extended period of rest after participating in the World Cup and only started training activities recently.
The coach stated: “They finished the season on July 19th. I gave them four weeks off, and that was absolutely necessary.”
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This decision limits Aston Villa’s options in a game of great importance, which defines the first European title of the new season. Martínez, Watkins and Konsa played key roles in the team’s campaign last season, but they still do not have ideal conditions to compete.
In addition to the absences for the Super Cup, Aston Villa underwent important changes in the squad during the last transfer period. Morgan Rogers, for example, left the club to join Chelsea in a deal valued at 117 million pounds, around 800 million reais. This amount set a new record for the transfer of a British player.
Rogers had stood out at Villa, actively participating in the team’s trajectory before moving to London. The English club also traded Youri Tielemans to Manchester United in a £35 million deal.
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Both departures resulted in the loss of important athletes for Emery’s squad. In Rogers’ case, the negotiation took place just days before the start of the new season, while Tielemans had already left the club during the transfer window.
Will Paris Saint-Germain have players unavailable against Aston Villa?
Paris Saint-Germain, in turn, arrives at the Super Cup in a different situation. According to information from the French press, coach Luis Enrique will have practically his entire squad, although some players who returned from the World Cup may have their time on the field managed with caution.
The French coach listed the players who resumed training on Monday, including names like Dembélé, Doué, Zaïre-Emery and Barcola. Newly signed Lucas Digne and Akliouche were also called up, alongside Fabian Ruiz and Hakimi.
According to the French publication, Dembélé, Barcola, Zaïre-Emery, Doué, Hakimi and Fabian Ruiz are ready to start the match or be called upon during the match. The expectation is that Luis Enrique will adopt a careful strategy in using athletes who have recently returned to work.
Names like Safonov and Kvaratskhelia are among those expected to start the clash, and the Spanish coach is also considering the possibility of using players who had more preparation time during the pre-season.