Football
Jonathan Johnson, PSG correspondent 8y

PSG get Marco Verratti boost for French Super Cup but without four

New PSG coach Unai Emery will be without captain Thiago Silva, Edinson Cavani, Adrien Rabiot and summer signing Grzegorz Krychowiak for the Trophee des Champions clash with Lyon at Worthersee Stadion in Klagenfurt, Austria.

For the past two years, PSG have won trophy as part of consecutive domestic clean sweeps for Les Parisiens, but have a number of players out of action this weekend.

However, Marco Verratti is in the capital outfit's squad for the match -- despite not having played a single minute of football so far this preseason as he continues to recover from groin surgery back in May -- and the Italy international is looking forward to a return to competitive action.

"We're lucky to be playing this match, as we already have a chance to win a trophy -- in a single match," the midfielder told PSG's official website. "We know it won't be easy. During our preseason, we won all our matches, but Lyon have had a good lead-up too.

"We'll need to be at 100 percent. It would be great to start with a trophy. We've been working all week for this match on Aug. 6 and I think that we will be ready for the Trophee des Champions."

PSG have signed four new players as well as appointing Emery as coach with some new staff members and Patrick Kluivert as director of football.

The former Netherlands international striker was a surprise choice for the role and got to know his new colleagues during the Ligue 1 giants' recent tour of the U.S.

For Kluivert, 40, it will be his first opportunity to see the players in competitive action. The former Barcelona, Ajax, AC Milan and Newcastle United man feels that the International Champions Cup has prepared the team well for the return to competitive action against Lyon.

"The squad worked hard in the United States," Kluivert told PSG's official website. "It was a great way to prepare for the Trophee des Champions against Lyon. It's the most important match, as it's the first official match of the season. We know that they are a great team to, so we will have to play well to figure in this match."

PSG have won each of the last three editions of the Trophee des Champions and will be looking for a fourth straight success -- a second in as many years against Lyon -- in Austria on Saturday.

Emery's men open their domestic campaign in Corsica next Friday, with a trip to face SC Bastia in the first of two Friday night kickoffs.

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