PSG vs. Tottenham preview, predicted lineups and prediction

Paris Saint-Germain is finally back.

Maybe finally isn’t the right word, as it was only one month to the day from the FIFA Club World Cup final, but they will begin their first campaign as defending European champions by taking on Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Super Cup.

These are two sides who are new to European glory, with this being PSG’s first ever Champions League and Tottenham’s first European trophy in over 40 years.

The match will be played on Wednesday, August 13 at 21:00 UCT (3:00 PM EST) at Stadio Friuli, the home of Serie A club Udinese.

PSG vs. Tottenham: Squads and lineups

Tottenham has been pretty active in the summer transfer window.

They brought in Joao Palhinha on loan from Bayern Munich, turned the loan deals of Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso into permanent transfers, and their big signing was Mohammed Kudus from West Ham for 60 million Euros.

They also brought in a new manager, poaching former Brentford boss Thomas Frank after the departure of Ange Postecoglou.

They are missing multiple potential starters due to injury. They will have to deal without Destiny Udogie, Dominik Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski, and James Maddison.

With all of those missing faces, the Europa League Champions are expected to line up with a 4-2-3-1 of: Vicario; Spence, Van de Ven, Romero (C), Porro; Palhinha, Bentancur; Odobert, Sarr, Kudus; Richarlison.

For PSG, it should be more of what they are used to from last season. Luis Enrique is not a man who likes to change things around very much, and once he finds a lineup he likes they will stick with it.

It will likely be nine of the eleven starters from the Club World Cup Final starting, the only two missing are the suspended Joao Neves and the departing Gianluigi Donnarumma.

In their places will be Warren Zaire Emery and new signing Lucas Chevalier, whom I just wrote an in-depth breakdown of over the weekend in anticipation of his first start in Paris.

The European Champions are expected to line up with: Chevalier; Mendes, Pacho, Marquinhos (C), Hakimi; Zaire Emery, Vitinha, Ruiz; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia.

PSG vs. Tottenham: Predictions

Spurs struggled in the league last season, only finishing one spot above the relegation zone in seventeenth place.

When you combine that with a new manager and a plethora of injuries, PSG should be the heavy favorites going into the match.

The squad has remained essentially unchanged since the last time they played, as Chevalier is their only new signing, who is in the squad for this match.

PSG’s chemistry and talent will likely be too much for Spurs to cope with.

Prediction: Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 Tottenham