PARIS (AP) — Different goaltenders, same result.
When Paris Saint-Germain knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League for the second consecutive season on Tuesday, it was thanks to another strong performance from the goalkeeper.
Last season, Gianluigi Donnarumma starred in a drama. penalty shootoutAnd this time Matvey Safonov stood out in the rain at Anfield.
The slicked-back Russian showed off his reflexes in the first half, throwing himself off-balance and low to the left with lightning speed, keeping the fierce curlers at bay as Liverpool dominated in the second half.
Liverpool were trying to get back to level, but We lost the first leg 2-0..
Although PSG continued to win, 2-0 at AnfieldThe goal came from a late counterattack by Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele.
It was Safonov who stopped Liverpool’s momentum.
seize the chance
Donnarumma’s presence in the knockout stages played a major role in PSG’s first Champions League victory last season. The Italian also made important saves in the quarter-finals against Aston Villa and in the semi-finals against Arsenal.
Safonov now has a chance to follow suit after establishing himself as number one. Donnarumma moves to Manchester City and failure to arrive Lucas Chevalier in the off-season.
PSG manager Luis Enrique wanted to replace Donnarumma with Chevalier, but released the Frenchman around December for a number of reasons, perhaps because of Chevalier’s excellent passing from the back. unconvincing performance.
There, the 27-year-old Safonov went from being a reserve goalkeeper for the second consecutive season to becoming the club’s first choice.
As predicted, he seized the opportunity.
Safonov saved in December 4 consecutive penalties PSG won the Intercontinental Cup in a penalty shootout against Flamengo. As a result of his efforts, he ends up with a broken hand. Chevalier briefly replaced him, but Safonov returned after his hand healed.
Who is Safonov?
When he joined from Russian Premier League side Krasnodar two years ago, he was relatively unknown in the football world.
Despite his low profile and lack of top-level experience, he clarified that he “didn’t come to Paris Saint-Germain as a substitute.”
It was a bold statement considering PSG’s number one was Italy’s penalty-stopping hero Donnarumma. European Championship Winner In 2021.
Few people expected Safonov to become No. 1.
He did this last season when he replaced Donnarumma in a high-profile game. Big failure They lost to Bayern Munich 0-1. Safonov missed the ball completely when aiming for a corner kick, allowing the German club an easy goal.
Safonov remains vulnerable to crosses and corner kicks, conceding a soft goal in a recent league game against Toulouse. However, he has a rare ability to clear his mind and quickly refocus.
But Safonov will face an even bigger test of nerves in the semi-finals against either six-time European champions Bayern Munich or 15-time champions Real Madrid. they will play the second game their quarterfinals After Wednesday.
french speaker
Unlike Donnarumma and other big names who have played at PSG over the years, such as Angel Di Maria and Neymar, Safonov expresses himself in French.
When Safonov completed his move from Krasnodar, he reportedly told PSG: “If I sign you, give me two months and I will study French.”
After the Liverpool game, he was visibly relieved and answered the post-match interview with an admirable level of French. ___
AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
