Matvey Safonov opens up about his rise at PSG, discussing newfound fame and his emotional return to his roots.
Matvey Safonov spoke to the Russian Federation website before his emotional return to Krasnodar, where his national team will face Nicaragua on Friday. An opportunity for the PSG goalkeeper to discuss his new life in Paris since his change in status.
Having become PSG's No. 1 since late January after already being the hero of the Intercontinental Cup against Flamengo a month earlier, Matvey Safonov was selected by Russia for its two friendly matches against Nicaragua (this Friday, March 27) and Mali (Tuesday, March 31). An international break with a particular flavor for the Parisian goalkeeper since the Russia/Nicaragua match will be played at FK Krasnodar's stadium, his youth club.
"I went to the stadium last summer and attended two home matches for FK Krasnodar. But as a player, it's a return; it's important to me. I'm looking forward to this moment when I will see the fans and the stadium again. This is where I went through an important stage of my career. For me, it's something special," Safonov told the Russian Football Union website.
The Russian goalkeeper was also asked about his change in status at PSG and its consequences on his daily life in Paris: "Everyone knows that I've played a bit more often, so I arrived in top form (with the national team). Can I still walk my dog or go to the supermarket without any problem? People approach me and recognize me much more often than before. I must say that I appear on TV more often. You could say that since the Intercontinental Cup, there has been a before and after in my life in Paris."
While he goes much less unnoticed in Paris now, Safonov is not going to complain about it and has found a very simple technique to continue doing his shopping quietly in the capital: "When I go to the supermarket, it's to do my shopping, not to have my picture taken. I put on a mask and a hood."
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