PSG beat Strasbourg, English team Chelsea’s “satellite” in France, 2-1 on Sunday night to move within two points of second-placed Lens after 20 games in the Hexagon. With the score 0-0, the hosts from Strasbourg missed a penalty.
The shot from the penalty spot was actually saved by the Russian Matvei Safonov, who blocked the fifth penalty in a row. And this snatched the statement from the Spanish Luis Enrique, the coach of the European champions: “He is the best penalty keeper I have ever coached“.
An affront to Chevalier, the current starting goalkeeper, but also to the Italian Gianluigi Donnarumma, who has since left for Manchester City.
Safonov, who arrived in Paris a year and a half ago, had previously saved four penalties against Flamengo in December 2025, securing PSG’s first ever Intercontinental Cup. He confirmed his feat in the championship yesterday, blocking Panichelli’s shot from Strasbourg.
Safonov is the leader in Europe in this regard, with five consecutive penalties. Lucho, who left the Frenchman Chevalier on the bench, said at the end of the game in Alsace: “In my career, I think I’ve had a lot of goalkeepers who are good at penalties, but Safonov is the best of them all at understanding where to dive, where the taker will shoot. It is a very important quality“.
Sofonov is seen as an intruder in the locker room of the Parisians and by the Ukrainian Zabarnîi, who demanded the expulsion of the Russian, in the context of the war started by Putin. But the keeper holds his own and works wonders between the posts when he is used.
