Football
Jonathan Johnson, PSG correspondent 8y

Unai Emery era begins as PSG face Lyon in French Super Cup

Paris Saint-Germain's season officially gets underway with the French Super Cup at Worthersee Stadion in Klagenfurt, Austria, against Olympique Lyonnais on Saturday.

For the French champions, it is a chance to put down an early marker on their intention to dominate all domestic competitions once again, while Bruno Genesio's men will hope to prevent Les Parisiens from making it four consecutive titles.

It will also be the first opportunity for PSG fans to see their team in competitive action under Unai Emery. Here are five things to keep in mind going into this weekend's season-opening clash between the two Ligue 1 giants.

1. Emery to choose between Areola and Trapp

One of the major talking points coming into the Trophee des Champions on Saturday is PSG's goalkeeping situation.

In Alphonse Areola and Kevin Trapp, Emery has two talented shot stoppers but only one can be considered the Spaniard's starter.

According to L'Equipe, Emery slightly prefers the Frenchman -- who he saw a lot of in La Liga with Villarreal CF last campaign -- to the German and it is the youth academy graduate who is expected to start against Lyon.

Both Areola and Trapp have enjoyed solid preseason form but if the former carries that over into this weekend's game, then he will be considered the Basque tactician's No. 1 going into the new term.

2. First indication of Emery's preferred formation

Not only will Emery's first starting XI illustrate his preference between the sticks, it will also indicate which formation we can expect to see PSG line up in domestically.

The French capital outfit have spent most of their preseason either in an attack-minded 4-2-3-1 or a possession-based 4-3-3 shape and the 44-year-old coach is known for his tactical flexibility.

Should Lyon catch out the Ligue 1 champions during the match -- a possibility with so many players still lacking match fitness or suspended -- then it will be interesting to see how Emery reacts.

One of the major criticisms of predecessor, Laurent Blanc, was that he did not respond quickly enough -- or at all -- when his team went behind but his successor is known to be more reactionary.

OL should provide the sort of stern test that will show Emery how tough continuing the domestic dominance established under Blanc will be.

Making life harder for the man from Hondarribia is the fact that Thiago Silva and Edinson Cavani have been ruled out through injury, while Grzegorz Krychowiak and Adrien Rabiot are suspended.

3. Cavani's absence gives youth another chance to impress

It has not been the best of preseasons for Cavani; the Uruguay international did finally get off the mark under Emery with a penalty to score the opening goal in the 4-0 thrashing of Leicester City in the International Champions Cup (ICC) in the USA but he misses the Lyon clash with a hamstring issue.

With Zlatan Ibrahimovic gone, the pressure is on Cavani to thrive now that he will be playing in his preferred central striking role but he will have to wait until Ligue 1 gets underway to impress his new boss.

El Matador missing the Trophee des Champions match with OL means that if Hatem Ben Arfa does not lead the line instead of him, then Jonathan Ikone or Jean-Kevin Augustin will get the chance to continue their hot summer form.

Considering that Augustin is yet to feature under Emery because of the 2016 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, it is a good chance for the prolific teenager to make an impression.

4. No Thiago Silva

PSG will be without captain Silva in Austria as the Brazil international has not trained since injuring his hip with a rash challenge in the 3-1 ICC win over Real Madrid in Columbus, Ohio.

With Marquinhos representing the hosts at the Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro, compatriot David Luiz is likely to start alongside Presnel Kimpembe in central defence.

Silva missing the Lyon clash is not the end of the world but until an estimated length can be put on his absence -- he is expected to miss the Ligue 1 opener away at SC Bastia as well -- then the defence will be a worry for both Emery and the PSG fans with only two fit centre backs.

5. PSG chasing fourth consecutive title

For the past three years the six-time French titleholders have won the Trophee des Champions and for the past two seasons it has formed part of back-to-back domestic clean sweeps.

Now that Blanc has set the bar for domestic dominance, it is Emery's job to maintain those high levels of success and push PSG further in the UEFA Champions League at the same time.

Winning everything on the domestic scene is now taken for granted by the capital club's ambitious Qatari owners more than ever before, so a victory over Lyon to set the tone of the new season will be expected.

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