A fixture which is said to determine the true champion between the two main European club competitions. Champions League winners, Chelsea, will indulge Villarreal who earned their place by lifting the UEFA Europa League.
Club football is back, it’s that time of the year again and we’re only too ready to see it!
UEFA Super Cup Final
Wednesday 11 August
Windsor Park
21:00
To Win (90 min)
Chelsea 17/20
Draw 47/20
Villarreal 31/10
To Lift The Cup
Chelsea 44/100
Villarreal 7/4
Chelsea
Chelsea, under Thomas Tuchel, return to competitive football with their fifth appearance at the UEFA Super Cup. Blues fans will be quietly confident and somewhat upbeat about their season prospects and will want to get off on the right foot in Belfast.
If there was any question of whether Tuchel would use this game as a sort of preparation for the domestic season – which will start just 72 hours later – one need only look at the German managers comments after their pre-season game with Arsenal last Sunday where he admitted he had this and the Palace game in mind.
The fluidity with which Chelsea play front-foot football is intriguing, but the adaptability required from both the players and manager is really the essence of the system. While several first-team players are yet to return from their international commitments, others are struggling for fitness; and with the academy and loanees filling the gap in the interim, Tuchel seemingly had to twist and play Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi in the wing-back positions.
The preparation games played between clubs are largely being played at a blistering pace, I credit that mostly to the presence of fans – something even us at home have missed seeing. Players will experience once again, or indeed for the first time, the thrill, encouragement and pressure associated with playing in front of passionate fans.
Chelsea has the squad (possibly but for an out and out striker) and manager to mount a real challenge this season, and will want to continue adding to their confidence, when they get to Belfast on Wednesday.
Villarreal
Villarreal, on the other hand, who beat Manchester United to Europa League supremacy, will make their debut in the Super Cup.
Unai Emery’s Yellow Submarine will head to Belfast without Dani Parejo – news of the talisman’s injury being confirmed at the time of writing – but the experience of Emery and the confidence and fight of this Villarreal side still make them a tricky opposition for any side they come up against.
Chelsea and Villarreal have never faced each other in competitive action before, but of course the experience of the two managers will be enough for their preparation and guide their respective approaches to the game.
Earlier in their pre-season game with Marseille, Emery showed he had a bit of bite when clashing with Sampaoli and almost causing a touchline scrimmage. The only reason I mention this is I’ve always found Emery’s sides and often Emery himself to be too nice and almost accommodating of the opposition until there is a spark.
The squad he has assembled in Spain is not without quality and if they could take games by the scruff of the neck earlier and more often, they really could become a more consistent challenger on the European stage.
Villarreal finished seventh in La Liga alongside their Europa triumph, and an area Emery will know his side must improve on will be their effectiveness on the counterattack. With a below average possession statistic across all competitions, their resolute defensive model isn’t rewarded enough with only a 3% conversion rate of goals scored from the counterattack.
Chelsea will likely dominate possession, whilst Villarreal might be comfortable to defend and look to capitalize on chances which will fall their way. However, suffocating games without converting and then looking to clinch it in extra-time isn’t a sustainable model…
Prediction: Chelsea To Win To Nil: Yes (37/20)
Chelsea will dominate this game and I’m struggling to see where Villarreal will ask any real questions – even with a Chelsea side playing Pulisic at wingback. Tuchel is a master of manipulating games to not only suit his sides narrative, but also nullify the opponents’ strengths.
Villarreal will be without their leading creative player, and I just don’t think they will be given the opportunity to get onto the front foot.
Chelsea will win and will do so without conceding a goal. A result which will do wonders for their confidence and resolve going into what promises to be an incredible season.
Written by Ryan Liberty