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Will Enrique avoid the tough scenario? The king of finals chases fresh glory with Paris

Stunning numbers ahead of the Aston Villa clash in the European Super Cup

Paris Saint-Germain begin their new season against Aston Villa on Wednesday evening in Austria, hunting another title for the cabinet. Luis Enrique arrives with a personal ambition of no less weight, as the Spanish coach looks to extend his remarkable record in finals and pad out an already exceptional set of numbers.

Get him close to a trophy and Enrique tends to find his way onto the podium. That form faces a fresh test against Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup, the match that marks the official start of the season for the two-time European champions.

Since turning professional as a manager, the 56-year-old has built a striking record in finals, a journey that began with Barcelona's reserve side.

Roma, Celta Vigo, Barcelona, the Spain national team and Paris Saint-Germain: across all of them, Enrique has contested 19 finals and won 16.

9 wins in 10 finals
Enrique's love affair with finals started in 2015, when Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao 3-1 to lift the Copa del Rey. His most recent triumph came this year, steering Paris Saint-Germain past Arsenal to the 2026 Champions League crown on penalties, 4-3, after the match finished 1-1. Leaving aside his defeat with Spain against France in the 2021 UEFA Nations League final, a 2-1 loss, and the two-legged Spanish Super Cup, he has dropped just one of the 16 single-match finals he has contested at club level.
At Paris Saint-Germain, the Spaniard has won nine of his 10 finals. It all began with the Trophée des Champions, a 2-0 win over Toulouse at the Parc des Princes in January 2024.
That solitary defeat in Paris colours came at the hands of Chelsea, a 3-0 loss in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
The team under threat: Inter Miami coach: we do not know how to deal with Messi's tragedy

Will the difficult scenario repeat itself? The last 4 titles decided by penalty shootouts
Enrique hasn't just been winning his recent finals, he's been surviving them. His last four titles with Paris all arrived via penalty shootouts, a run that speaks to his knack for handling decisive moments, the mental steel he instils in his players and a slice of luck, according to RMC.
The first came against Tottenham in the UEFA Super Cup last season. The match finished 2-2 before Paris won 4-3 on penalties.
Flamengo produced the same story in the Intercontinental Cup in December. That one ended 1-1, and Paris clinched the title 2-1 from the spot.
Marseille were next in the Champions Cup in Kuwait at the start of this year. A 2-2 draw gave way to a 4-1 shootout win for Paris.
Arsenal completed the set in the 2026 Champions League final. Normal time finished 1-1, then Paris settled it 4-3 on penalties.
Now Enrique has the chance to extend that run, even by the same nerve-shredding route, when he faces Aston Villa and his compatriot Unai Emery, the former Paris Saint-Germain coach. Win it and the European champions get a perfect start to their new season, with another title for a coach who has made a habit of finishing finals off.
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9 wins in 10 finals

The team under threat: Inter Miami coach: we do not know how to deal with Messi's tragedy

Will the difficult scenario repeat itself? The last 4 titles decided by penalty shootouts

Read also: Uncertainty over Messi's return

Read also: Mourinho opens the black box: the Barcelona war and the dressing room spy

ENJOYED THIS STORY?