Paris Saint-Germain showed their winning mentality to claim the 2025 European Super Cup against Tottenham on penalties. The Champions League holders had been moments away from defeat, only for a Gonçalo Ramos equaliser to send the game to spot-kicks. It was tough on a Spurs side who impressed in their first competitive game under new head coach Thomas Frank. The Premier League club had been heading for a sensational victory thanks to a couple of set-piece goals that had the Europa League holders dreaming of more silverware. But with time running out, PSG – who Chelsea stunned in last season’s Club World Cup final only a month ago – hit back to send the game to a penalty shootout.
There, the European champions had to fight back again when Spurs took a 2-1 lead after four spot-kicks. At that point PSG coach Luis Enrique’s decision to drop goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in favour of Lucas Chevalier – and a “different profile” between the posts – looked like coming under further scrutiny. Cue a Chevalier save to keep out Micky van de Ven’s kick, before Mathys Tel missed the target for Spurs. Vitinha had also missed from PSG’s opening penalty, but like his manager he was able to breathe a sigh of relief when Nuno Mendes stepped up to win this season-opener. For Tottenham there was disappointment in missing out on a trophy, but plenty to be positive about considering their performance.
How the managers saw it
“Tottenham played a great match,” said Luis Enrique. “They were stronger than us. I don’t know if it’s a fair result, but that’s football. We have the ability to fight until the end, but we can still improve. If I have to say one important thing for us, which was important last season, it’s our faith. We believe we can win all the time. I am very happy, despite the fact it may have been unfair on Tottenham.”
“I knew we had to do something a little bit different against PSG,” said Frank. “It was a special operation. In medical terms, the operation succeeded but the patient died. So not that good in the end. But we worked on a game plan that was a little bit different and [it was] very close to succeeding.”
Tottenham’s defensive approach
Tottenham’s 2-0 lead came courtesy of their aggressive set-pieces, but it was their varied yet compact defensive strategies that gave them a platform in the first half. Against PSG’s 4-3-3 build, Tottenham’s 3-5-2 pressed very high, with their first line of Richarlison and Mohammed Kudus pressing out to in, on to the PSG goalkeeper and centre-backs. Wing-backs Pedro Porro and Djed Spence also jumped high for any wide passes, while Tottenham’s centre-backs fully committed to any dropping PSG attacker, such as Ousmane Dembélé (below).
PSG tried dropping their full-backs to increase the pressing distance for Porro and Spence. In response, Tottenham’s centre-backs committed to further supporting their pressing teammates, often leaving the back line and going well into the PSG half. There was only one occasion where their aggressive centre-backs didn’t get tight enough on PSG’s dropping attackers, to the extent that Luis Enrique’s side penetrated the Spurs box. For the most part, Tottenham’s committed defending and duelling high up the pitch limited PSG’s build throughout the first half, often locking the Ligue 1 champions towards the touchline (below).
In moments when Spurs needed to recover, rest and defend as a 5-3-2 block, they were compact and tried to lock play down one side where possible. Their front line worked back to limit access into PSG’s pivot, as the widest of their central-midfield three pressed out of line, covering ahead and inside of the deep wing-backs. When needed, the closest centre-back jumped out (Kevin Danso, below) to support this midfielder, but was still able to cover any wide combination from PSG. Spurs’ other two centre-backs, meanwhile, remained ready for any crosses.
For PSG, Dembélé often dropped deep into midfield, working with number eights Désiré Doué and Warren Zaïre-Emery. Right winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia also moved inside to allow Achraf Hakimi to advance from right-back. Although this gave PSG short, central-passing connections that they like, they had no attacker working anywhere near the three Tottenham centre-backs. Spurs’ wing-backs could then jump out and defend 1v1, with their centre-backs and central midfield congesting the middle (below). And so, despite all PSG’s first-half possession, the French club had zero attempts on target.
PSG’s wide combinations
In the second half, PSG attacked with much better wide combinations. Their winger and full-back pairings actively looked to double up against Spurs’ wing-backs. Both Hakimi and Mendes joined the attack as early as possible, with central forward Dembélé staying higher for longer, threatening in Tottenham’s box. From here PSG built and attacked more purposefully, working around Tottenham’s back line of five for crosses and cutbacks (below).
PSG began to pull the Spurs midfield across the pitch with their wide combinations, before exploiting the other side. Switches of play and diagonal balls across for narrowed runs tested Tottenham’s back line, and in particular their three centre-backs. Hakimi’s trademark box run was also finally seen, as PSG began to penetrate the box with purpose for the first time in the match.
With Tottenham’s wing-backs and wide centre-backs now focused on PSG’s winger and full-back movements, PSG’s number eights made narrowed runs in behind. The addition of Fabián Ruiz (for Kvaratskhelia) and Lee Kang-in (for Zaïre-Emery) helped to give PSG consistent threats in the inside channels (below).
It also meant Dembélé began to attack from wide right, which proved instrumental in PSG’s comeback. Both of their late goals came from Dembélé crosses, as wide combinations against Spurs’ wing-backs gave them the attacking edge they were missing in the first half. With no extra-time played, that edge extended to the shootout as they claimed a fifth piece of silverware in 2025.