UEFA Super Cup: Chelsea vs Villarreal preview – TV channel, team news & prediction

Thomas Tuchel will hope to lift his second trophy as Chelsea boss when his side meet Villarreal in the Super Cup on Wednesday night.

After masterminding a run to Champions League glory just six months after joining the club, the Blues will come into this one as favourites but would do well not to underestimate Unai Emery’s Villarreal, who booked their spot in this game by pipping Manchester United to the Europa League trophy.

Here’s 90min‘s preview of the game.

When is kick off? Wednesday 11 August, 20:00 (BST)
Where is the match being played? Windsor Park, Belfast
What TV channel is it on? BT Sport 1 (UK), CBS Sports Network (USA)
Who’s the referee? Sergei Karasev
Who’s the VAR? Marco Fritz

Romelu LukakuRomelu Lukaku

Chelsea hope to bring Lukaku in in time / Markus Gilliar/Getty Images

Will it be done in time?

Chelsea are looking to complete their £97.5m acquisition of striker Romelu Lukaku in time to feature in this game. They have until 11pm on Tuesday evening to finalise their squad list, so the clock is ticking.

Elsewhere, expect Thomas Tuchel to hand some much-needed minutes to the likes of Mason Mount, Ben Chilwell, Reece James and Jorginho – all of whom have only just returned from their extended holidays.

Samuel ChukwuezeSamuel Chukwueze

Chukwueze is injured / Aitor Alcalde Colomer/Getty Images

Emery has some big issues to deal with. Firstly, winger Samu Chukwueze remains sidelined with a hip injury, while centre-back Pau Torres has only just finished at the Olympics with Spain and will likely be handed a rest.

Star striker Gerard Moreno is expected to start after returning to training last week, and he may be joined by new signing Boulaye Dia, who completed a £10m switch from Stade Reims last month.

Chelsea: Mendy; Rudiger, Christensen, Azpilicueta; Hudson-Odoi, Kante, Jorginho, Chilwell; Mount, Havertz; Werner.

Villarreal: Rulli; Foyth, Albiol, Mandi, Pedraza; Pino, Parejo, Trigueros, Gomez; Moreno, Dia.

Unai Emery, ManagerUnai Emery, Manager

Emery has never faced Tuchel / Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

These two sides have never actually faced off, but we know that Villarreal aren’t going to be scared of facing an English team after dispatching of both United and Arsenal in their run to Europa League glory.

Similarly, Chelsea did away with the best Spain had to offer last season, dumping both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid out of the Champions League, having already beaten Sevilla 4-0 in the group stage.

Tuchel and Emery have never faced off either, although their stories are linked as it was Tuchel who replaced Emery as Paris Saint-Germain manager in 2018.

Chelsea win Champions League titleChelsea win Champions League title

Chelsea will expect another trophy / Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

With Chelsea’s big guns still working on their fitness this summer, the Blues aren’t going to be at full strength for this one.

Having said that, Tuchel will still expect his side to win it, and his chances of victory will undoubtedly be boosted if the Lukaku deal is completed in time. It’s touch and go at the minute, but it could get done if everyone moves quickly.

Villarreal will prove to be some stiff competition for Chelsea, but expect the Blues to edge this one.

Prediction: Chelsea 1-0 Villarreal

Barcelona beat Juventus 3-0 to win Joan Gamper Trophy

Barcelona have won the Joan Gamper Trophy for a 44th time, beating Juventus 3-0 at the Johan Cruyff Stadium on Sunday evening.

The annual pre-season friendly match is named after one of Barça’s founding members. Every year the Blaugrana invite a top European side to play them before the start of the campaign, with the winner being awarded the trophy. 

FC Barcelona  v Juventus - Joan Gamper TrophyFC Barcelona  v Juventus - Joan Gamper Trophy

Both sides took the game seriously / Eric Alonso/Getty Images

This season Juventus came to town and Barcelona made light work of the Serie A side. Memphis Depay, Martin Braithwaite and Rique Puig all scored to help their team breeze to victory. 

Both managers put out strong sides with the 2021/22 season just around the corner. Depay opened the scoring after just three minutes, racing onto a through ball and lifting his finish over Wojciech Szczesny. The Dutchman was impressive throughout, thriving in a withdrawn centre-forward role.

Before half-time Neto was forced into a pair of good saves with Alvaro Morata stinging his palms with a fierce half-volley and Cristiano Ronaldo going close with a long-ranged free kick. Soon after the break Morata headed just wide from a corner. 

Juventus were made to pay for their wastefulness when Braithwaite nodded home on the hour mark. Depay then had a snapshot saved from inside the box.

In second-half stoppage time Puig – who has been handed the number six this season – scored the goal of the game. Taking Emerson Royal’s pass on the turn he swivelled and fired a curling effort into the top corner. 

The result was a boost for Barcelona, who have endured a horrific few days. Lionel Messi is expected to sign for Paris Saint-Germain any day now after Barça were unable to extend his contract due to financial constraints. In a further blow, new arrival Sergio Aguero has been ruled out until November with a calf injury.

Lawrence Shankland set to leave Dundee United in £1m deal

Exclusive – Dundee United are set to sell star striker Lawrence Shankland to Belgian outfit Beerschot, 90min understands.

The Antwerp-based outfit have already had bids rejected for the 25-year-old, but now we understand that a deal worth £1m has been agreed.

Scottish international Shankland had been attracting attention from a host of clubs in England from the Championship and League One; Barnsley, Blackburn, Middlesbrough, Stoke, Wigan, Rotherham and Ipswich among the clubs who made enquiries over the summer.

Now Beerschot have returned with an improved offer for the Scottish international and it is understood that United have agreed to sell. Shankland will discuss personal terms with the Belgian side, but that is not expected to be an issue and they hope to secure his signature before the weekend.

Dundee United had been expecting the improved bid as they did leave Shankland out of the squad to face Rangers at the weekend. Shankland has been prolific in Scotland with 82 league goals in the last five seasons, having begun his career at Queen’s Park – playing in the same squad as Liverpool’s Andy Robertson.

PSG fans flock to airport to greet Lionel Messi – before he has even booked flight

Paris Saint-Germain fans have flocked to Le Bourget airport to get a glimpse of Lionel Messi – even though he has not booked a flight to France yet.

Messi is widely expected to join PSG in the coming days. His Barcelona contract expired in the summer and was prevented from signing due to the club’s perilous financial situation. 

Since then, Messi has bid an emotional goodbye to Barça in a press conference and agreed a deal to join PSG. As soon as Manchester City ruled themselves out of the running there was only ever going to be one destination for the six-time Ballon d’Or winner. He should be confirmed as a PSG player soon. 

However, some fans could not wait until his debut to catch a glimpse at the legendary forward. As footage posted by L’Equipe showed, hundreds of supporters gathered outside Le Bourget airport on Sunday evening hoping to see Messi arriving at his new home. 

The PSG fans a raucous atmosphere, turned up with flairs and chanted for Messi – only to leave disappointed. According to Fabrizio Romano, the player has not yet booked his flight to France with he and his father spending Sunday checking over his new contract with lawyers. 

Messi should be jetting off to Paris soon enough, though, and when he does arrive he will no doubt be greeted with the appropriate hysteria. The uncertainty surrounding his arrival date did not stop fans congregating at the airport again on Monday either.

The arrival of La Pulga caps off a pretty extraordinary transfer window for PSG. Gianluigi Donnarumma, Georginio Wijnaldum and Sergio Ramos have all arrived on free transfers. Meanwhile, Achraf Hakimi has also been signed from Inter. 

With such a strong squad they are expected to breeze to the Ligue 1 title and also make a strong bid to win the Champions League.

Phil Neville says Inter Miami have had to ‘climb Everest’ to turn their season around

Phil Neville says his Inter Miami side have had to “climb Everest” to put their awful start to the season behind them.

The Herons took just eight points form their opening 12 games of 2021 and endured a six-game losing run between May 22 and July 22.

But after Indiana Vassilev scored a 94th-minute winner at home to Nashville SC on Sunday, Miami are now four games unbeaten, taking eight points during that time and finally lifting themselves off the foot of the Eastern Conference.

The nadir of Miami’s season so far was undoubtedly the 5-0 defeat they suffered at home to the New England Revolution at the end of that six-match losing streak. Neville says he showed his squad a picture of Everest after that game to give them a sense of the task they faced in turning their form around.

“We showed them a picture after New England of a mountain and that’s what we had, a mountain to climb,” Neville told reporters after Sunday’s match (via Franco Panizo).

“We showed them a picture of Everest and told them a story about what it takes to get to the top of it. You can’t get to the top of Everest just on your own, you’ve got to go as a group. You’ve got to go every stage as a group, together, you’ve got to help each other.

“New England was as low as it got, we couldn’t get any lower than that. It was a time where our reputations were on the line. We came out, we took some punches, we accepted them and all of sudden, we started to play like a team.”

Neville also spoke of the difference the addition of goalkeeper Nick Marsman has made, with the Dutchman conceding five against the Revs on his debut, but just one per game in his four appearances since.

“The goalkeeper has made a hell of a difference, I’ve got to say,” Neville added. “His composure at the back has given the team composure and I think that’s probably what has helped the team more than anything.

“We’ve started to believe in each other, we’ve started to trust each other. Slowly, we’ve worked every day, we’re a fitter team, we’re out-running most teams now. I think the work that we did when we had three weeks off, we put them through a heavy workload, I think we’re beginning to bear the fruits of that.”

Another key facet to Miami’s recent turnaround has been the improved form of the Designated Players (DP), especially Gonzalo Higuain and Blaise Matuidi.

Two of the most high-profile players in MLS right now, the duo have largely flattered to deceive since joining in 2020.

But recently, Higuain has been on a goalscoring tear, netting three goals in his last three appearances – including the equaliser against Nashville – to extend his tally to eight for the season, while he provided an assist in a 1-1 draw against the Philadelphia Union.

It was Matuidi who set up Higuain’s strike against Nashville at the weekend and Neville believes maintaining the form of these key players will be vital to sustaining Miami’s turnaround moving forward.

Gonzalo Higuain, Blaise MatuidiGonzalo Higuain, Blaise Matuidi

Higuain and Matuidi are finally producing the goods for Inter Miami. / Michael Reaves/Getty Images

“I’d say the three DP players played like DP players,” Neville said. “When your DP players play like that, we will win games of football, we’ll challenge for the playoffs.”

On Matuidi and Higuain, he added: “Blaise, I’ve got say, I’ve not seen him play better than what I have in the last two or three weeks for Inter Miami.

“What I think about Gonzalo in the second half is that, if he plays at that level, he makes tackles, runs around, plays with that quality, the whole team, staff, [and] supporters are inspired. And he’s inspired. So that’s his level and that’s how good he is, he’s world-class, Blaise is world-class. [Rodolfo] Pizarro is world-class.

“So when them three are playing at that level, we will be a better team.”

Inter Miami face a tough trip to NYCFC next Saturday before hosting the Chicago Fire.