The goalkeeper brought PSG another title. How painful it is that this is not Safonov

The French Super Cup match was not easy for PSG. Having scored a quick goal, Luis Enrique’s team then conceded twice. The Parisians were saved from defeat by a goal in stoppage time. Tense minutes awaited the fans: the winner of the trophy was determined in a penalty shootout, where the capital team, it would seem, really missed Matvey Safonov.

But PSG managed without the Russian – Luc Chevalier took on the role of the penalty kick hero.

PSG fast ball

Matvey Safonov, as part of PSG, has collected a decent collection of trophies in a short time. For the time being, some fans made fun of how the Russian, sitting on the bench, collected victories. But at the end of 2025, the goalkeeper took a direct part in the battle for the title. In the final match for the Intercontinental Cup, he saved four post-match kicks from the penalty spot in a row.

Unfortunately, heroism was not without consequences – Safonov received a hand injury and did not take part in the battle for the next trophy, the French Super Cup. But the partners did not disappoint, although at a certain moment it seemed that Enrique’s team would not be able to cope without the Russian at the last stage.

In the match against Ligue 1 vice-champion Marseille, the Parisians scored a quick goal, taking advantage of the opponent’s mistake. Vitinha made an interception, interrupting the opponent’s attack at the very beginning, and then sent the ball to Ousmane Dembele. He, surrounded by several opponents, burst into the penalty area and threw the ball over goalkeeper Jeronimo Rugli.

Successful replacements

For the time being, nothing really worked out for Marseille in attack. There weren’t that many dangerous moments, and when it came to something tough, Luca Chevalier handled it. Something needed to be changed, and Roberto De Zerbi decided to change players in attack. An African duo appeared on the field: the evergreen Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and his younger colleague Hamed Traore.

Warren Zaire-Emery and Emerson Palmieri / Photo: © Anadolu / Contributor / Anadolu / Gettyimages.ru

At first the Gabonese was close to finishing the attack effectively on his own, but was not fast enough. And then he passed the ball to Mason Greenwood, who missed the field goal but earned a penalty. From the point, the Englishman confidently outplayed Chevalier. Having won back 14 minutes before the end of regulation time, Olympic found an opportunity to take the lead at the end of the second half. Traore crossed to Aubameyang, who did not reach the ball, but Pacho Villan did, scoring into his own goal.

At this point, Luis Enrique had to make emergency changes, and one of them worked. Gonçalo Ramos saved the Parisians from a shameful defeat. And then there was a penalty shootout, where Chevalier pulled out the balls twice in a row, albeit after not the most dangerous shots by the Marseille players. The PSG players hit confidently from the spot, and therefore another trophy for the team became an easy prey in this post-match shootout.