Paris Saint-Germain have been given an additional dressing room at the Red Bull Arena after the Champions League holders raised concerns about the size of their allocated facilities ahead of Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup clash with Aston Villa in Salzburg.
PSG were initially assigned the away dressing room at Super Cup venue, while Aston Villa were set to use the larger home dressing room. The arrangement reportedly left the French champions dissatisfied, with club officials believing their allocated space was too small for their travelling squad and staff.
The issue was raised with UEFA during a pre-match meeting on Monday, with PSG making it clear that they wanted facilities comparable to those available to Villa. The French club reportedly felt they deserved similar treatment, particularly given their status as reigning UEFA Super Cup champions.
UEFA subsequently resolved the issue by allocating PSG an additional dressing room normally used by match officials. No officials were displaced to create the extra space, allowing Luis Enrique’s side to have more room while maintaining the existing arrangements for Villa.
PSG Wanted Equal Treatment Ahead of Major European Test
The dispute may appear minor compared with the significance of the match itself, but PSG’s complaint highlights the importance clubs attach to pre-match preparations at elite European fixtures.
PSG are travelling to Salzburg as the reigning Champions League winners after edging Arsenal about three months ago to retain their European crown. They also enter the Super Cup as the holders of the trophy, having beaten Tottenham Hotspur on penalties in 2025.
From PSG’s perspective, the argument was not necessarily about demanding preferential treatment but their concern was that the team should have access to facilities broadly equivalent to those of their opponents, particularly for a major UEFA fixture involving two European champions.
That position is understandable. Dressing-room space affects more than comfort as it provides room for players to prepare, receive tactical instructions, undergo treatment and complete their pre-match routines. For a squad of this calibre, even relatively small logistical disadvantages can become a source of unnecessary frustration.
UEFA’s decision to provide an additional room therefore appears to have been a practical solution rather than an indication that PSG were seeking special privileges.
PSG have travelled with a 20-man squad for the encounter, including highly rated want-away winger Bradley Barcola, midfielder Vitinha and new signing Lucas Digne, who joined from Aston Villa two days ago.
For the latter, he has the opportunity to claim his first piece of silverware just days after completing a switch from Aston Villa, a side he’ll come up against in the Super Cup after helping them win the Uefa Europa League last season; their first European trophy in thirty years.
Digne’s move adds another layer of intrigue to the fixture, as the France international could face his former teammates just days after leaving the club.
Villa Aim to Make History Against European Champions
Aston Villa arrive with a different kind of motivation. Unai Emery’s team are preparing for their first Super Cup appearance since 1982, when they faced Barcelona after winning the European Cup.
Villa secured their place in this year’s contest by winning the Europa League, ending a 30-year wait for a major trophy when they defeated Freiburg in Istanbul.
The meeting with PSG consequently represents more than another prestigious fixture. It is an opportunity for Villa to establish themselves on another European stage against a PSG side that has become one of the continent’s dominant forces.
There is also an intriguing managerial subplot. Emery knows PSG well from his time in charge of the French club, while Enrique has built a PSG team capable of controlling games through possession, aggressive pressing and attacking depth.
The French side will understandably start as one of the favourites, given their recent Champions League success and greater experience at this level. But Villa should not be dismissed simply because they are facing the European champions.
Emery has demonstrated an ability to organise his teams for difficult knockout fixtures, and Villa’s Europa League triumph showed that they can handle pressure on the continental stage.
Ultimately, the dressing-room disagreement should have little bearing on what happens on the pitch. PSG have received the additional space they wanted, removing a potential distraction before the game.
Now the real test begins. PSG will be expected to use their superior European pedigree to defend the Super Cup, while Villa will attempt to turn their return to the competition into another landmark moment in the club’s recent resurgence.
In a fixture where both sides have legitimate claims to the trophy, preparation, concentration and execution are likely to matter far more than the size of their dressing rooms.
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