Matvey Safonov's Parisian adventure is definitely not simple. Observers were first surprised to see Paris Saint-Germain pay €20 million to hire a replacement for Gianluigi Donnarumma. A number 2 who had also immediately declared that he had not come… to be number 2. In the end, Safonov gave in to the game of competition without flinching and completed a 2024/2025 season with 17 appearances on the clock and titles in spades (Ligue 1, C1n Coupe de France, Trophée des Champions). It's not nothing, but it's still clearly insufficient for the former Krasnodar player. Especially since he must now manage two new important factors: the arrival of Lucas Chevalier and that of the Ukrainian Illia Zabarnyi.
In addition to having to fight for a starting place, Safonov must also deal with the consequences of the conflict between his country and Ukraine. Last summer, we thought that these two new parameters could encourage the Russian to pack up. In the end, Safonov hung on. But today, this situation seems to weigh on him a little. Always called up for the selection, the Parisian goalkeeper recently played the friendly match against Iran wearing the captain's armband of Sbornaïa. A very special moment for him. At the end of the meeting, Safnov did not hide his emotion when discussing his complicated personal case, namely that of the goalkeeper without playing time managing to remain a starter for the selection.
“I'm not happy with the lack of playing time»
“I'm so happy to be back on the field! I can't help but say how grateful I am to the national team for their trust and for the opportunity to get playing time. (…) It's a huge pleasure for me, I always look forward to these trips to the national team, because I understand that every minute of the match is important for me and I have to hang on to it. I come here to play every time with total dedication and immense desire. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. (…) I have the impression of being in a weak position. It's not my place to talk about it. I am extremely grateful to those in the national team who decide on players, and for this constant playing time. All I can do is show up for the national team and prove that I'm fit and ready“, he told the channel Match TV.
Later, in the mixed zone, in comments relayed by Sport ExpressSafonov obviously did not escape questions about his future at PSG. And this time, the Russian clearly showed his dissatisfaction with his playing time, before opening the door to the next winter transfer window. “We will have to see my future when the transfer window opens. For now, I devote all my time to changing the situation. I want to prove that I deserve to play, I'm not happy with the lack of playing time. Naturally, I want to play and prove that I deserve to have playing time and that I can compete“, he explained, before specifying that a return to Russia was not really his priority in the event of departure from PSG. “I wouldn't want to. I set out to overcome difficulties and it would be strange to give that up. On the contrary, they must be overcome. But any proposal must be examined, so everything will depend on the situation at the time of the transfer window“. The message has gotten through.
