PSG, then holders of the European Cup Winners’ Cup, suffered a 9-2 aggregate defeat over two legs (6-1, 3-1) against the Vecchia Signora, the reigning European champions.
The outcome of the UEFA Super Cup final remains unpredictable. PSG and Tottenham Hotspur meet for the first continental trophy of the 2025-26 season, entering the clash in starkly contrasting form and mood.
The French club may be suffering from burnout after a demanding 2024-25 campaign in which they clinched almost every available title yet suffered a resounding 4-0 defeat in the Club World Cup final against Chelsea.
Luis Enrique’s side has had virtually no time to prepare. They haven’t even played a friendly to assess their sharpness ahead of this new final.
Even so, they are considered favourites against a Tottenham Hotspur side that upset Manchester United in last season’s Europa League final. That triumph salvaged an otherwise forgettable season for the Spurs, helping them restore their international standing.
The English club has changed managers and, unlike their opponents, prepared meticulously for this final. Thomas Frank’s squad has completed six pre-season friendlies, recording two wins, three draws, and one loss.
While they edged Arsenal 1-0, their warm-up ended with a humiliating 4-0 defeat against Bayern Munich, by far their toughest test.
Recalling the 9-2 thrashing
Tottenham Hotspur will make their UEFA Super Cup debut following their triumph in San Mames against United. For PSG, however, this will be a return to a stage they first reached in 1997 as holders of the European Cup Winners’ Cup.
Regardless, a new team will be added to the competition’s winners’ list, as the French side’s only previous appearance ended in a humbling defeat.
Back then, Juventus, fresh from winning the Champions League final against Ajax on penalties, outclassed the Parisians over two legs in a tie still remembered as one of PSG’s heaviest European setbacks.
Long before their infamous 6-1 loss at Camp Nou, the French club had already endured such a scoreline: in the first leg of that final, they collapsed 6-1 at home to the Vecchia Signora, with goals from Porrini, Padovano (2), Ferrara, Lombardo, and Amoruso.
Rai scored a consolation goal for Ricardo Gomes’ side, who were again outclassed by Lippi’s team in the second leg, suffering a clear 3-1 defeat with goals from Del Piero (2) and Vieri.
Sixth English opponent of 2025
The evolving landscape for PSG has made clashes against Premier League teams a regular occurrence. Remarkably, this European final in Udine will mark Luis Enrique’s side’s sixth meeting with a Premier League opponent in 2025 alone.
In January, the French club faced Manchester City in a crucial Champions League group stage match, pulling off a comeback from a 0-2 deficit to win 4-2 and keep their tournament hopes alive.
PSG subsequently revitalised their campaign and, apart from the final against Inter Milan, consistently faced English opponents throughout the Champions League knockout rounds. In the round of 16, they eliminated Liverpool on penalties after both sides secured 1-0 away victories.
Then, in the quarter-finals, PSG knocked out Aston Villa with a 3-1 home win despite a 3-2 loss in England. Finally, in the semi-finals, the Parisians secured victories in both legs, 1-0 and 2-1, against Mikel Arteta’s formidable Arsenal side.
Their most recent competitive fixture was also against an English opponent. PSG faced an English side in the Club World Cup final, suffering a humbling 3-0 defeat. PSG will now be desperate to erase that memory by lifting their first major trophy of the 2025-26 season.
