PSG begins a new Champions League campaign this Wednesday evening, against Slovan Bratislava at the Parc des Princes. Double holders of the trophy, the capital club will rely for the occasion on its last Russian rampart – the now established number one embodied by Matvey Safonov.
During the C1 final on May 30 in Budapest, against Arsenal, the person concerned was decisive in more than one way, notably in the victorious penalty shootout, punctuated by a 4-3 success for Luis Enrique’s men (1-1 at the end of regulation time and extra time).
In an interview with Le Parisien, Matvey Safonov remembers this moment of grace, and an opposing attempt in particular. That of an Eberechi Eze who faced the Reds and Blues goalkeeper simply missed the target. “ For him, I believe I have a part of responsibility », assures the modest Matvey Safonov.
“A psychological battle”
“ He fixed my position while waiting for me to initiate my movement. I stayed perfectly stillnarrates the Russian international with 18 caps. Seeing no clue, he had to improvise his run and strike at the very last moment. If I had taken an anticipatory step to my left, he would have quietly opened his foot to the other side, because that is his specialty. Remaining unmoved, I closed this comfortable option to him. This is precisely the role of a goalkeeper: to thwart the attacker. »
A true exercise specialist, Matvey Safonov explains his method in some detail. “ It is above all a psychological battlehe whispers. Nowadays, with video, everyone analyzes themselves. I spend a lot of time dissecting the habits of attackers. It’s no longer a secret, we’ve seen a lot of my famous napkin on which I write down all my files on shooters. »
