Matvey Safonov, the Russian goalkeeper of PSG and hero of the Intercontinental Cup final won last Wednesday by the French team against Flamengo, suffers from a fracture in his left hand and will be absent for at least three weeks, according to this announcement. … Friday the French club.
The 90 minutes of this match and the extra time that followed ended in a 1-1 draw, so the French and Brazilians played each other for the title on penalties. And there appeared the figure of Safonov, who stopped the last four consecutive shots (out of a total of five).
“I can’t explain it, it’s incredible. The player has a fracture, but he doesn’t know how it happened,” said Luis Enrique, PSG’s Spanish coach, devastated. We think it was during the third penalty (taken by Pedro) and he stopped the last two (to Léo Pereira and Araujo) with the fracture. The adrenaline was so strong that he felt no pain.
The Parisian club added that the Russian goalkeeper’s hand will be examined again “in three or four weeks”.
The fatal announcement comes on the eve of the trip to Nantes to face Fontenay-le-Comte in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France, where Lucas Chevalier will return to the starting lineup where Renato Marin, the team’s third goalkeeper, will have an opportunity.
Safonov, replacing Chevalier at the start of the season, took advantage of the Frenchman’s injury to have good matches, thus opening the debate on the starting goalkeeper for the future.
Recruited at the start of the season, Chevalier, injured in his ankle at the end of November, experienced a first half of the season with ups and downs. His good footwork is appreciated by Luis Enrique and was one of the reasons for his signing, but between the sticks he has not yet finished convincing and has made several errors. In 20 matches played, Chevalier managed to keep a clean sheet eight times, conceding 22 goals.
“What we showed, once again, to all the players, and especially Safonov, is the ability to help the team whatever the match. Everyone must be ready, this is the mentality we want at PSG, both for current players and for potential new recruits. “You have to be ready to work constantly,” said the Asturian coach.
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