No extra time in Salzburg as Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa prepare for UEFA Super Cup

Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa will go straight to a penalty shootout if their UEFA Super Cup match finishes level after 90 minutes at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg on Wednesday.

The fixture, which opens the new season, will not include extra time under the current regulations set by UEFA. If neither side can separate itself during normal time, the winner will be decided immediately by penalties.

The rule means there will be no additional 30-minute period before the shootout. A draw after 90 minutes in Salzburg will take the match directly to spot-kicks, with the European trophy settled without any further period of open play.

Paris Saint-Germain enter the contest as UEFA Champions League holders after winning the competition for a second consecutive year. They defeated Arsenal on penalties to secure that title.

Aston Villa, meanwhile, claimed the UEFA Europa League after a commanding 3-0 victory over Freiburg. Their success earned them a place in the season-opening meeting with Paris Saint-Germain, setting up a contest between the winners of Europe’s two leading club competitions.

The question of how the UEFA Super Cup is decided in the event of a draw has attracted particular attention ahead of the game. While many knockout matches use extra time before penalties, that process does not apply to this fixture.

UEFA’s regulations state that the two teams will not play extra time if the score is level at the end of the 90 minutes. Instead, they will proceed directly to a penalty shootout to determine the winner.

The same procedure was used in the previous edition of the competition. Paris Saint-Germain defeated Tottenham on penalties after recovering from a two-goal deficit.

Tottenham had led 2-0, but Paris Saint-Germain scored late in the match to bring the teams level. The French side then completed its comeback by winning the shootout.

There has been no change to UEFA’s regulations for this year’s match. As a result, if Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa remain level after 90 minutes at the Red Bull Arena, the UEFA Super Cup will once again be decided by penalties.

The outcome will therefore depend on how the sides perform during normal time and, if necessary, how effectively they handle the pressure of the shootout. For both clubs, the route to victory is clear: secure a lead before the final whistle, or prepare immediately for penalties once the 90 minutes have ended.