Unai Emery’s remarkable success in the UEFA Europa League has not been matched in the UEFA Super Cup, with the Aston Villa manager still searching for his first victory in the competition after four unsuccessful attempts.
Aston Villa lost 2-1 to Paris Saint-Germain in Salzburg on Wednesday, extending Emery’s losing record in the Super Cup to four defeats in four appearances.
The setback came only months after the Spanish coach led Villa to their first major European trophy since 1982, defeating Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final and securing a record fifth Europa League title.
Emery remains the most successful manager in Europa League history, having won the competition three times with Sevilla, once with Villarreal, and again with Aston Villa. However, the UEFA Super Cup has continued to prove difficult for him.
His first Super Cup final came in 2014, when Sevilla were beaten 2-0 by Real Madrid.
In 2015, Sevilla returned to the final but lost 5-4 to Barcelona after extra time in one of the competition’s highest-scoring encounters.
Emery reached the Super Cup again in 2021 with Villarreal. After a 1-1 draw with Chelsea following extra time, the English club won 6-5 on penalties.
His fourth appearance ended in another defeat. PSG took the lead before Villa teenager Brian Madjo equalised shortly before half-time, becoming the youngest scorer in UEFA Super Cup history.
After the break, Désiré Doué restored PSG’s advantage and sealed the trophy for the French champions.
The contrast with Emery’s Europa League achievements is striking. His five titles came in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2021 and 2026, and he has reached six Europa League finals overall.
For Aston Villa, the loss does little to diminish the progress made under Emery. The club’s Europa League triumph over Freiburg ended a 30-year wait for silverware and re-established Villa as a significant force in European football.
For Emery personally, though, the UEFA Super Cup remains the elusive trophy, with four appearances and four defeats.
Emery’s four UEFA Super Cup defeats
- 2014: Real Madrid 2-0 Sevilla
- 2015: Barcelona 5-4 Sevilla (after extra time)
- 2021: Chelsea 1-1 Villarreal (Chelsea won 6-5 on penalties)
- 2026: PSG 2-1 Aston Villa
