Times are tough for Illia Zabarnyi. At Paris Saint-Germain for more than a year, the Ukrainian, bought for €63 million from Bournemouth, is struggling to convince. However, the capital club saw him as the ideal recruit to provide competition in defense while preparing for the future in this sector of play with an aging Marquinhos. But Zabarnyi’s first season didn’t really live up to the expectations placed on him. This, despite 31 appearances in all competitions in the Ile-de-France jersey (30 starts, 1 goal). Despite some rumors of departure this summer, the 24-year-old defender, who made a lot of talk about him for his cohabitation with the Russian Matvey Safonov, remained in the capital. The idea was to start off on the right foot.
But for the moment, we can’t really say that it works. For the moment, he has participated in 2 matches this season (180 minutes played). The first on August 16 against Lens during the Champions Trophy lost 1 to 0. A meeting during which he covered Florian Thauvin on his goal. We then saw the Ukrainian again on September 9 against Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League. If Paris won with a score of 6 to 1, Zabarnyi was again guilty on the only goal of a largely inferior opponent. For the rest, he was on the bench 5 times (1 time during the UEFA Super Cup against Aston Villa and 4 times in L1). It should also be noted that Luis Enrique did not call him into the group against Brest.
A complicated second season in Paris
The Asturian had nevertheless rushed to the aid of his player after new attacks from the sports press. “I remember the criticism against Barcola, Dembélé, Doué or Luis Enrique. It’s normal. I think it’s just the way it is. We must value being one of the best clubs in the world. I am very happy with my squad.” Despite everything, the message is rather clear for Zabarnyi who will have to show a better face, he who plays very little at the moment. The international break could allow him to find the field and playing time, but also the confidence and assurance necessary for his position. Especially since in Ukraine, he is one of the leaders of the selection. He admitted this on Friday evening after the 1-0 victory in Hungary.
“I have experience. You know, I have already played a lot of matches for the national team (57 caps, 3 goals). I know this team from the inside. We had ups and downs. I’ve been with her for quite a while. So, of course, my mission is not only to be on the field and do my job, but also to help the guys, to do everything I can: transmit the right information so that everyone approaches the match with the same state of mind. And, in principle, I am not alone. We have teammates who help us too”declared the defender, who also spoke of the start of the Andrea Maldera era. “The atmosphere has really changed. It’s as if a new breath of fresh air has arrived. And it’s really good.”
Zabarnyi has an elder and leadership role in Ukraine
He added: “As I said before, Maldera may be Italian, but he has a Ukrainian heart. He understands the situation perfectly. He now lives in Ukraine and knows how difficult it is to travel, how difficult life is for Ukrainians. You know, I think it affects everyone. In the locker room, everyone listens to him attentively and respects him enormously. So I think it’s very positive.” What was a little less so was the fight that broke out at the end of the match against the Hungarians. “It’s just emotions. It happens in football. I went there to calm things down a little and get our players out of there. Sports shouldn’t be like this. I understand it. It’s football, everyone is different, everyone wants to win. But for me, as a football player, the most important thing is to demonstrate an exemplary attitude, professionalism and treat everyone with respect.
If Zabarnyi therefore played his role as elder to his compatriots, on the ground, he did not fulfill his mission. In any case, this is the opinion of the Ukrainian press, which did not miss it after his match. If the readers of Tribuna gave it a 6.1, the Ukrainian media gave it a 6.5 with the following comment: “Zabarny made other mistakes. Dangerous ball losses and placement errors, such as this cross into the penalty area, where Illia did not assess the situation and left his position. Once the best and most consistent player in the national team, he has yet to return to that level – his streak of poor performances continues.”
The defender gets taken down again
Sport is also upset about it. “The Ukrainian national team delivered a disappointing performance in Maldera’s first official match as coach. This was true at the start of the match, and even partly in the second half. Our Italian coach also has to worry about the obvious defensive problems. After all, with the exception of Krupskiy, who was making his debut on the right flank of the defense, the defensive line at Puskas Arena looked familiar and traditional. However, mistakes were inevitable. Blatant errors. And the one making these and other blatant mistakes was none other than Zabarnyi himself, a player from the best club on the continent..
Former defender of the Ukrainian national team, Oleksandr Kucher spoke about his compatriot’s difficult pass. “Illia has been criticized for a long time. I think he will be able to handle the situation. He remains the leader of the Ukrainian team. At some point, trust eroded because the criticism was justified. I think he’ll come back. He’s a good footballer, he’s a strong person, and I think he can overcome this difficult period that every footballer goes through in his life. This one has been going on for a while now. This evening against Georgia, Illia Zabarnyi hopes to finally get everyone to agree in Ukraine, where he has come under a lot of criticism for several months, but also in Paris.
