“Maybe I’m still carrying it out”
Krasnodar academy. Then Paris. Then the Champions League.
That is the path Matvey Safonov wanted to prove was possible, and on Tuesday, speaking from the Russia camp, the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper suggested he had pretty much pulled it off. “My move away from Russian football probably had a clear mission, one I think I have carried out with dignity… well, maybe I am still carrying it out,” the 27-year-old said, smiling.
He isn’t a big talker. When he does open up, he gets to the point fast.
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From backup to the man in goal
Safonov arrived in the summer of 2024 after coming through the ranks at FK Krasnodar, and he had to be patient. Eventually he pushed Lucas Chevalier out of the starting spot. Nearly a year on, the gloves are still his.
Paris tried to shake things up again this summer. A deal was agreed for Zion Suzuki, then fell apart, and the Japanese keeper went to Aston Villa instead. Safonov didn’t blink.
Why the smile matters
That little hedge at the end of his quote tells you plenty. No goalkeeper at PSG gets to relax for long, and he knows it.
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