PSG face Tottenham in UEFA Super Cup Wednesday while Gianluigi Donnarumma transfer saga looms
One final showcase awaits before the official start of the European club season -- the UEFA Super Cup, which will be contested by Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday. I'm Pardeep Cattry with a primer as two of Europe's newest trophy winners prepare for a faceoff in Udine, Italy.
📺 Footy fixAll times U.S./Eastern
Wednesday, Aug. 13🏆 UEFA Super Cup: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Tottenham Hotspur, 3 p.m. ➡️ CBS Sports Network, Paramount+🏴 EFL Cup: Birmingham City vs. Sheffield United, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network🇺🇸 U.S. Open Cup: Philadelphia Union vs. New York Red Bulls, 7 p.m. ➡️ CBS Sports Network, Paramount+
⚽ The Forward Line🇫🇷 Donnarumma saga overshadows PSG's return to playParis Saint-Germain might be hours away from their first match since their loss to Chelsea in last month's Club World Cup final, but during a busy summer of transfers, the market has churned out another saga -- Gianluigii Donnarumma's surprise exit.
The goalkeeper played a central role in PSG winning their first-ever UEFA Champions League title in May, but was left off Luis Enrique's squad for Wednesday's UEFA Super Cup, his successor seemingly lined up last week when the club signed Lucas Chevalier from Lille. Monday's squad announcement may have unofficially confirmed Donnarumma's exit, but the writing was apparently on the wall last week when PSG pointed out Chevalier's "excellent distribution skills" in their otherwise standard player announcement materials, something many interpreted as a direct criticism of Donnarumma. Enrique pointed onlookers in that direction with his pre-match remarks on Tuesday, too.
- Enrique: "These are always difficult decisions to make. I can only say very good things about Gianluigi Donnarumma. He is one of the best players in his position without any doubt. He is an even better person, but we're looking for a different profile of goalkeeper. It's always difficult to decide these sorts of situations."
Donnarumma also said it was not his choice to exit PSG in a statement on Tuesday, in which he wrote that "someone has decided that I can no longer be part of the group." The player's agent, Enzo Raiola, claims that Donnarumma offered to reduce his salary in order to stay in Paris and reports suggest that he would prefer a move to the Premier League as his PSG follow-up act, with Manchester City emerging as a leading contender in a move that could start yet another domino effect in a summer full of them.
Though a deal between the two clubs hasn't been struck yet, Donnarumma already reportedly has an agreement with City, one that could add a new layer of uncertainty to an already murky goalkeeping situation. The team signed James Trafford from Burnley earlier this summer after a spectacular promotion campaign in the Championship, seemingly as the successor to the 31-year-old Ederson but Donnarumma's arrival likely changes Trafford's place in the pecking order. It might also push Ederson out the door sooner, with just one year left on his current deal at City.
Watch live TODAYTottenham Hotspur will play in the UEFA Super Cup for the first time on Wednesday but the unfamiliarity of the occasion pales in comparison to the version of the team that will hit the pitch in Udine after a summer of notable incomings and outgoings.
After a preseason with mixed results, Wednesday's Super Cup offers a meaningful showcase for new manager Thomas Frank as he begins to instill his tactical approach after an entertaining but inconsistent two years under predecessor Ange Postecoglou. He will have a patchwork squad to work with, at least for the time being – winger Mohammed Kudus and defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha are the notable incomings but Son Heung-min is gone after 10 storied years with the team and attacking midfielder James Maddison will miss a chunk of the season after tearing his ACL during a preseason friendly. There are reports, too, that winger Savinho might join from Manchester City and that midfielder Eberechi Eze could be Spurs' Maddison replacement so they may not be the finished product just yet.
That does not mean, though, that there is not at least a little bit of pressure on Frank to demonstrate why he is the right fit at this moment in time for Tottenham. Last spring's UEFA Europa League win and their qualification for this season's edition of the UEFA Champions League has not fully erased the fact that Spurs finished 17th last campaign, a significant underperformance for a team that has the ability to be in the conversation for the Champions League spots. How Frank manages that with an imperfect squad is the big question ahead of Wednesday's match, even if he admits it will not be a perfect showcase for his plans.
- Frank: "We have had a more normal pre-season which is what I think every coach would prefer. Over a whole season, they are probably in a better place to perform better, but for one game we will be ready."
🌴 No to Miami: Real Madrid have asked FIFA to reject La Liga's proposal to stage Villarreal-Barcelona in the Miami area, their Tuesday's statement acting as the latest chapter in a war of words between the club and the league.
⛓️ Transfer window chain reaction: It has been an unusually busy summer in the transfer market, and all signs point to a batch of England's top clubs for creating a domino effect that has resulted in a transfer frenzy.
⭐ Stars hire Sjogren: The Chicago Stars have hired Martin Sjogren as the team's new head coach, but selecting the ex-Norway manager after underperforming in that gig comes with risk for the NWSL's bottom-dwellers.
🔴 Alexander-Arnold vs. Frimpong: Liverpool have seemingly lined up a like-for-like swap by signing Jeremie Frimpong to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold in the right wingback position, but a deeper look shows the two players bring fairly different attributes to their teams.
1️⃣1️⃣ NWSL's best: Reigning NWSL MVP Temwa Chawinga is back in the team of the week after another standout display, while three Portland Thorns players make the cut after a resounding win in the Cascadia rivalry.
🇺🇸 Berhalter on Copa America: Former USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter reflects on last year's Copa America on a new episode of "Pulisic," describing the tournament as "a complete disaster from start to finish."
💰 The Back Line💵 Best bets- UEFA Super Cup: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Tottenham Hotspur, Wednesday, 3 p.m.💰 THE PICK: Both teams will not score (+128) – Tottenham Hotspur are still busy in the transfer window and are unlikely to be the finished product in Udine on Wednesday, especially as they settle into life with new manager Thomas Frank. Paris Saint-Germain, meanwhile, are really shaking off the preseason rust and are less than a month removed from their loss to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final. Neither of these teams are at the peak of their powers, which will make this Super Cup particularly difficult to predict. No matter which way it tilts, do not expect a perfectly executed game plan from either side and considering how early it is in the season, a ton of goals might not be in the cards on Wednesday.
For more picks, predictions, expert tips and the latest betting news, don't miss out on CBSSports.com's betting home page.
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