Safonov's cutting words on Luis Enrique's methods

In partnership with

Parisfans.fr

·3 October 2026

Safonov's cutting words on Luis Enrique's methods

Having arrived at Paris Saint-Germain in 2024 from Krasnodar, 27-year-old goalkeeper Matvei Safonov has made huge progress over the past two years. In an interview, the Russian shot-stopper spoke to Vpiska about his development, particularly alongside his coach Luis Enrique.

Safonov: “That’s what real professional sport is.”

He brought a different approach, vision, and mentality. That’s what real professional sport is. At Krasnodar, we trained on restarts, but with my current team, you just have to follow the coach’s instructions. There’s no need to waste training time on that. I’ve said many times that my transfer to PSG probably had a mission. I think I’ve fulfilled it, and maybe I’m still fulfilling it: to show that anything is possible. You can go from the Krasnodar academy to the biggest clubs, to the Champions League.

Safonov has shown enormous improvement over the past two years. He also had to establish himself in a hierarchy where Gianluigi Donnarumma (2021-2025) was the undisputed starter. Luis Enrique also gave him opportunities on several occasions to build his confidence, but also to assess his level. Very quickly, the Russian goalkeeper managed to establish himself and earn the appreciation of his teammates.

OneFootball Videos

His presence allowed him to establish himself within the defense and bring that little extra that Gianluigi Donnarumma did not provide. He was rewarded with titles and outstanding performances in key matches. Now the number one, he continues to progress while adding to his trophy cabinet.

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