Aston Villa turn to Marco Bizot after Emery leaves World Cup trio out of UEFA Super Cup squad

Aston Villa will be without Emiliano Martinez, Ezri Konsa and Ollie Watkins when they face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup at Red Bull Arena in Salzburg on Wednesday evening.

Manager Unai Emery has decided not to select Argentina goalkeeper Martinez for the match in Austria, giving him additional time to recover after his involvement in the 2026 World Cup.

Martinez played for Argentina at the tournament, which ended with a 1-0 defeat by Spain after extra time in the final on 19 July in the US state of New Jersey.

The 33-year-old will not be the only prominent Villa player missing from the European showpiece. Emery has also left out England defender Konsa and forward Watkins, who were both involved in the World Cup with their national team.

Konsa and Watkins helped England finish third at the tournament after a 6-4 victory over France in the third-place play-off in Miami on 18 July.

Explaining his decision, Emery said, according to French outlet RMC Sport: “I gave them four weeks of holiday, and it was really necessary.”

Their absence means Netherlands international Marco Bizot is expected to start in goal against Paris Saint-Germain. The 35-year-old is Martinez’s deputy at Aston Villa and is set to make his competitive appearance for the club in the goalkeeper’s place.

The match at Red Bull Arena will provide Aston Villa with an early opportunity to claim European silverware, but Emery has chosen to prioritise the players’ recovery after a demanding summer of international football.

Martinez is expected to return to Aston Villa soon, according to Argentine media reports. He is expected to be ready to feature in the club’s Premier League opener against Brighton on 23 August.

Before that fixture, Aston Villa are scheduled to play their final pre-season friendly against Borussia Monchengladbach next Saturday.

The UEFA Super Cup brings together the winners of Europe’s two major club competitions from the previous season. For Aston Villa, the game will therefore be played without three of the players who represented their countries at the 2026 World Cup, while Paris Saint-Germain will look to take advantage of the changes to Emery’s side.

Martinez’s absence will be particularly notable, given his importance to Aston Villa and his role in Argentina’s run to the World Cup final. However, Emery has opted to follow the agreed four-week rest period for Martinez, Konsa and Watkins rather than rush them back for the Salzburg fixture.

The decision leaves Bizot as the likely final line of defence against Paris Saint-Germain, with Aston Villa beginning preparations for their domestic campaign and the return of their World Cup players.