UEFA Super Cup: Somalian referee Omar Artan bounces back from World Cup snub with blockbuster fixture

Somalian referee Omar Artan will officiate the UEFA Super Cup match between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa. Artan, 34, was previously denied entry to the US to officiate at the World Cup due to alleged links to "suspected members of terror organisations", which made him a "national security threat" according to Yahoo Sports.

PSG manager Luis Enrique has expressed concerns that the match may not be of the highest quality due to disrupted preparations caused by the World Cup, with 15 of his players involved in the tournament. The team has only just returned to training, with some players having barely trained before the match.

Aston Villa will be without key players Ezri Konsa, Ollie Watkins, and Emiliano Martinez, who have been given extra time off for their holiday by manager Unai Emery. Emery stated that the trio finished the season on July 19 and were given four weeks to rest, which is necessary after their participation in the World Cup.

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