John McGinn Says Aston Villa Have No Limits as They Eye UEFA Super Cup Against PSG

John McGinn, captain of Aston Villa, insists the club has no limits, even after losing several key players. The Villans are preparing to face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup final in Salzburg, with manager Unai Emery hoping to end his personal drought in this competition.

Facing PSG Again with a New-Look Squad

The upcoming match is a rematch of the 2024-25 Champions League quarter-final, where Aston Villa narrowly lost 5-4 on aggregate but won the second leg 3-2 at Villa Park, showing they can compete with Europe's best. However, the team heading into the Super Cup final looks very different from that night. Key players such as Morgan Rogers, Lucas Digne, and Youri Tielemans have left, while Amadou Onana remains sidelined with a long-term injury. Additionally, Emi Martinez, Ezri Konsa, and Ollie Watkins are on extended leave after their World Cup campaigns. As a result, only four starters from that memorable match are expected to start against PSG.

McGinn Embraces Change and Challenges

Having been at the club for eight years, McGinn has witnessed Aston Villa's rise from Championship struggles to Champions League contenders. He welcomes the underdog status and aims to prove critics wrong again. He said,

"A lot has changed in the eight years I have been here. When you sign the best young English talent and players perform at the highest level, interest comes. We have a structure, standards, and rules that made us successful. I'm excited about the new Aston Villa. We have our core, the same manager, methods, and drive. Many thought we hit a ceiling a few seasons ago, but we proved them wrong."

Emery’s Quest to Win His First Super Cup

Unai Emery has become a major figure in European football, winning five Europa League titles, including leading Villa to a historic win over Freiburg in Istanbul. Still, the Super Cup trophy has eluded him so far. Emery admitted that McGinn has teased him about past failures in the competition:

"He (pointing to McGinn) reminded me last week about losing to Chelsea. This is an opportunity. A trophy gives us a special moment. Playing for trophies is our goal as professionals. PSG are favorites, but I’m eager to see how we test ourselves against them. It’s a trophy that makes us proud of who we are and how we got here."

Squad Changes Add Difficulty Ahead of Salzburg

The team’s reshuffle since the last meeting with PSG makes the task tougher. Only four players from the dramatic quarter-final are likely to start. Still, Boubacar Kamara’s return to the squad offers hope, even if he’s still regaining fitness after a serious knee injury. With more than 6,000 Villa fans traveling to Austria, the atmosphere is set for a memorable showdown as Emery seeks to claim a trophy that has long eluded him.

• Event: UEFA Super Cup
• Date: 12 August 2026
• Time: 21:00
• Match: Aston Villa vs Paris Saint-Germain
• Location: Salzburg