French Super Cup kicks off on Saturday night in China

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The 23rd edition of the French Super Cup – the Trophée des Champions – will be contested by Ligue 1 and Coupe de France champions Paris Saint-Germain, and Ligue 1 runners-up AS Monaco at the Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre on Saturday in China.

Officials of Monaco hold a press conference before the match against PSG in Shenzhen, August 3, 2018. /VCG Photo

It is a rerun of last year’s edition, though the Ligue 1 placings were reversed.

The match is normally contested between the champions of Ligue 1 and the Coup de France, but with PSG having won both trophies, their opponents will be league runners-up Monaco.

With Neymar in its team, PSG are favorites to score a repeat win.

Monaco have been training hard to try to break PSG's five-year hold on the Super Cup but will be without Colombia’s Falcao. He has just come back from holiday after the World Cup, though he has been participating in training.

Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian forward Neymar (fifth from right) attends a training session at the eve of the French Super Cup between Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain, in Shenzhen, August 3, 2018. /VCG Photo

Leonardo Jardim and Thomas Tuchel will meet each other for the first time since Monaco defeated Borussia Dortmund in the 2017 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. This time Tuchel is with PSG. Will he be seeking revenge? Even so, the match can serve as a huge marker for the upcoming Ligue 1 season.

Chinese football fans watch PSG's training, Shenzhen, August 3, 2018. /VCG Photo

For the journey to China, the guests from France definitely have to experience some Chinese traditional activities. As Shenzhen is in Guangdong Province, the players tried to make mooncakes and some other things to get know more about Chinese culture.