Fights, injuries, punishments and other catastrophes: UEFA Super Cup promises anything but a spectacle

It should be fireworks and spectacle as the Champions League winners are about to face the Europa League champions, but instead, tonight's UEFA Super Cup clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur (10 pm) seems to be coming at the worst possible moment for both sides.

Wounded, strangled, confronted, decapitated... Only a few months after the Saints and Spurs reached stars and raised their respective trophies high up in the sky, they are at a point where those glory days seem so far away.

Just what Pep needs: Luis Enrique writes off Gigio as his PSG spell comes to abrupt end

As you already read this morning at Mozzart Sport Kenya, PSG literally wrote off their first-choice keeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma, after the Italian refused a proposed contract extension. Gigio, therefore, won't be between the sticks tonight in Udine, as Luis Enrique said it was his choice to exclude Donnarumma from the squad.

Moreover, Achraf Hakimi, who went public a few days ago, claiming he deserves the Ballon d'Or, has probably challenged the team's atmosphere by saying that. Not only are eight other PSG players in contention for the award, but Ousmane Dembele is considered a serious and deserved favourite to win it.

Sky-high confident Hakimi slaps Dembele with a glove: "I deserve Ballon d'Or"

As we all know, PSG were brushed aside by Chelsea in the recent FIFA Club World Cup final, which was the worst possible prelude for what is about to come. Two lost finals before the actual start of the season would cause quite a drama at Parc des Princes.

On the other hand, the only good news for Les Parisiens is that they're facing none other than Tottenham. Spurs are in the middle of a chaotic situation as that Europa League-winning side has suffered quite a few changes.

Devastating news for Spurs - their playmaker could miss the entire season!

Ange Postecoglou was sacked, while the team's captain, Heung-min Son, left the club, too, while James Maddison picked up a terrible injury and will probably miss the vast part of the season.

To make things worse, Yves Bissouma has been left out of the squad because of - believe it or not - persistent lateness.

Spurs have travelled to the Italian city of Udine without the 28-year-old Ivorian midfielder. Explaining the situation with Bissouma, manager Thomas Frank said:

"Bissouma isn't here because of disciplinary reasons. He has been late several times, the latest one too many.

"We need to give love and have demands, but there have to be consequences. There's been a consequence; we will follow it up when we get home and park it for now."

On the game versus PSG, Frank added: "I am a big believer of principles and structures in the team, offensively and defensively.

"I want to have a clear structure in phases one and two when we are building up. We want to control the game and in phase three, we want to score.

"For the club, me and everyone involved at Tottenham, it's a massive game. It's a great challenge and an even bigger opportunity.

"The way my brain works, I see opportunities instead of pressure. We will definitely embrace it and give it everything."

Frank also decided to give Christian Cuti Romero the captain's armband, which could be good news for the Spurs' supporters ahead of the Super Cup.

The Argentinian centre-back hasn't lost any of the five finals he has played so far - four with his national team (World Cup, Finalissima twice and Copa America). Well, that's why Cuti.

UEFA SUPER CUP

Wednesday

22.00: (1.47) PSG (4.85) Tottenham (7.00)

***odds are subject to change