Matty Cash has given Aston Villa's UEFA Super Cup build-up a clear line. He called Paris Saint Germain the best team in the world by a mile, then added that Aston Villa gave them a right good test in the Champions League and can do it again in Paris Saint Germain vs Aston Villa on Wednesday.
Cash's respect for Paris Saint Germain
Cash did not dress it up. "I think in football at the minute, they're the best team in the world by a mile," he told goal.com. He then pointed back to the quarter-final, where Villa lost 5-4 on aggregate after Paris Saint Germain won the first leg 3-1 and Villa responded with a 3-2 win at home.
That tie matters because it gives Villa something more useful than confidence alone. They have already shown they can make PSG uncomfortable over two legs, and Cash's view is that the gap is not as wide as the label suggests.
Villa's European background
The Super Cup is also part of the reward for what Aston Villa did last season. They won the Europa League with a 3-0 victory over Freiburg, their first European trophy in 44 years.
Cash also credited Unai Emery for changing the mood around the club. "Since the manager came in, he's implemented what it's like to win and what you have to do to win," he said.
Villa's run in Europe gives this final a better frame than a simple mismatch. They won seven of eight Europa League matches, and Paris Saint Germain finished first in Ligue 1 in 2025. One side arrives with the domestic standard. The other arrives with evidence that it can go with elite opposition and make the game awkward.
Wednesday's fixture in Leipzig is only one match, but Villa have already shown in this run that they can ask questions of top sides. The Super Cup will now tell us whether Cash's confidence is just talk, or the sort that fits what Villa have been building since last season.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
