PSG – Zabarnyi gets surprise backing in the France squad | OneFootball

Dayot Upamecano (26 years old), defender for Bayern Munich and the French national team, shared his opinion on Ilya Zabarnyi (23 years old), the new (and already criticized) signing for Paris Saint-Germain and a mainstay of the Ukrainian national team. Speaking at a press conference, the Frenchman praised the qualities of the young Parisian, while noting that he has not yet reached his full potential.

Upamecano: “He’s a defender with a lot of aggression”

Dayot Upamecano’s words serve as a useful reminder in a Parisian context that is often impatient. Having arrived this summer from Bournemouth, Illia Zabarnyi is discovering an environment very different from the Premier League. His debut at PSG has sometimes lacked reference points, with performances below those that built his reputation in England. In Paris, where every mistake is scrutinized, criticism didn’t take long to appear.

Yet, the club’s recent history calls for nuance: Désiré Doué, to name just one, had an inconsistent start before establishing himself for the long term. He turned doubts into triumph, eventually lifting the Champions League and winning the 2025 Golden Boy. Zabarnyi, still in the adaptation phase, could well follow the same path if he manages to channel his aggression and find his place in Enrique’s defense.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.