Russia will not participate in the 2026 World Cup because of the conflict in Ukraine. Valeri Karpine's men must therefore be content with friendly matches.
This was particularly the case on Friday, against Iran. Substitute at Paris Saint-Germain, MatveĂŻ Safonov took the opportunity to find playing time by starting this meeting. The international break was also an opportunity for the 26-year-old goalkeeper to speak about his status at the club.
»It's really frustrating because we don't know who's playing until the last minute. And you have to prepare yourself physically and mentally for each match. But getting upset is the easiest thing when faced with this situation. It is much more difficult to maintain the motivation and strength to continue the fight.”he confided on his Instagram account, during a question/answer session.
Safonov, the starting place still in his sights
For the moment, Safonov is blocked by Lucas Chevalier at PSG.
“I don't see this as a personal failure, but simply as an indicator that I need to continue workinghe explains. Maybe I should spend more time training, save more energy and concentrate more. »
Recruited in June 2024 from FK Krasnodar, as part of a transfer estimated at nearly 20 million euros, Matvey Safonov played 17 games for his first season with PSG, during the previous year. Initially, the Russian international had the ambition to overtake Gianluigi Donnarumma in the goalkeeping hierarchy. Except that the Italian goalkeeper had his best season with the Rouge et Bleu, contributing greatly to the excellent run in the Champions League.
