PSG's shaky start raises doubts ahead of Super Cup clash

Paris Saint‑Germain’s lacklustre display in their first pre‑season friendly underlines the urgency to tighten up before the UEFA Super Cup against Aston Villa in a week, as the defeat exposed worrying gaps in intensity and cohesion that could jeopardise their title ambitions.

In the opening preparation match, the European champions were out‑played. The opposition dominated both the intensity of play and overall control.

The performance highlighted a series of concerning deficiencies. Coach Luis Enrique’s staff stressed that the side is still far from its optimal form.

Assistant coach Rafel Pol explained that the squad was incomplete, with several senior players missing and others just returning to training. This limited the team’s options and contributed to the uneven display.

Pol also praised the opponent, noting that they had built a solid and ambitious side capable of challenging for promotion to the Primera. Their organization exposed PSG’s lack of cohesion.

This defeat, although severe, does not undermine PSG’s ambitions. It underscores the urgency to regain collective rhythm before the Super Cup.

“​We knew it was a special match, we were missing many players and some were playing their first day with us,” Pol said. “Amid the complications we must focus on the positives, correct what we need to improve and move forward, because in seven days we have a final.”

The objective now is to swiftly correct the errors and raise the level of play before the Super Cup. The coaching staff wants a performance comparable to the one that nearly faltered against Mallorca.

Presently, the staff is concentrating on fine‑tuning the team’s automatism. They aim to be ready for the decisive clash with Aston Villa in seven days.