3 key factors that will decide PSG vs Tottenham

Paris Saint-Germain is set to battle with Tottenham Hotspurs in the UEFA Super Cup for the first trophy of the season just one month after their Club World Cup final loss to Chelsea. While Gianluigi Donnarumma has been left out of the group for this important game, Lucas Chevalier is expected to make his PSG debut tomorrow.

3 key factors that will decide PSG vs Tottenham

1) The right flank: Achraf Hakimi’s day or Tottenham’s left-side answer

Hakimi opened the summer by telling Canal+ he believes he “deserves” the Ballon d’Or after a historic season. That kind of confidence matters in a one-off final. If Hakimi is on form, PSG’s right flank becomes an overload machine with his forward runs, crossing and late-box arriving threatening to break Spurs’ shape and supply PSG’s forwards.

Tottenham will not be passive on that side. Destiny Udogie and Spurs’ left-side attackers will be tasked with nullifying Hakimi’s influence, and how well they do that will determine how often PSG can create high-quality chances from wide areas.

2) Midfield control — who wins the engine room?

This is arguably the single biggest tactical swing. PSG’s normal midfield blueprint is built around high technical control with Vitinha, Fabián Ruiz, and Warren Zaïre-Emery, but João Neves’ suspension for the Super Cup forces Luis Enrique to rejig the balance.

Tottenham counter with a combative spine in Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Pape Matar Sarr, designed to disrupt possession and launch quick transitions. If Spurs win second balls and make the game physical, they will prevent PSG from dictating tempo. If PSG keep the ball and move Spurs laterally, it opens room for Hakimi and the wide attackers to exploit.

3) Goalkeeping, set pieces, and transition moments

Small margins decide finals. PSG’s goalkeeping situation changed this week, with new signing Lucas Chevalier expected to start after Gianluigi Donnarumma was left out of the squad. That adds an element of uncertainty to PSG’s defensive setup.

Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario has been solid, but both sides will be tested under set-piece pressure and on quick counters. Spurs have aerial threats like Richarlison and Dominic Solanke, while PSG can hurt opponents through Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in transition. Whichever team handles these moments better will likely lift the trophy.

Final thought: This is more than Hakimi’s personal stage. His Ballon d’Or talk adds spice, but the match will hinge on midfield control, how the right flank battle unfolds, and how well each side manages set pieces and transitions. One lapse could decide the Super Cup.