Ilya Zabarnyi Starts to Make His Mark at PSG After Winner vs. Troyes

On Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain faced ESTAC Troyes (1-0) at the Parc des Princes in Ligue 1, a victory that was achieved thanks to a goal from center-back Ilya Zabarnyi.

The Parisian side came in as the favorite to win, as they are comfortably seated in first place in Ligue 1, have kept up their winning ways in the last 11 matches, and are already considered one of the strongest teams in the Champions League so far this season.

Troyes needed to get points desperately. In their last 5 matches, the club led by Stephane Dumont managed only one win and one draw, so the match was expected to be close in intensity. After Saturday's defeat, the club dropped to 17th place in the standings.

Luis Enrique's team dominated the match for the most part, and although the scorer of the winning goal received a yellow card in the 34th minute, he overshadowed it by opening the scoring 5 minutes later with an assist from Senny Mayulu.

Although they tried to score a second goal, PSG remained more cautious because of the intensity the opponent brought, and in the end, they could not achieve anything more.

In a post-match interview for Ligue 1+, the young Ukrainian spoke about how he felt after the victory. To the media, PSG's No. 6 said he wants to keep the winning streak going.

"I am very happy to have scored this goal; it is good for the team. I want to do even better. I hope to have more playing minutes in the future," he said.

Luis Enrique also spoke at the press conference about his player's performance, saying he was proud of him but also making clear that he expects much more from both the young Ukrainian and the other players.

"Zabarnyi has been at a very good level for me every time he has played. He played extra time in the Champions League final. We are happy with his level. I expect much more from all the players, including Zabarnyi, but I am happy that he scored the goal," the Spanish coach said.

Zabarnyi does not always start matches, and although he started slowly, earning criticism from Parisian fans, he has shown that Luis Enrique's hand is beginning to show in him.

Currently, the Ukrainian does not wish to leave the club. He has already earned his teammates' trust, and according to Willian Pacho, Illya is always there when needed and works hard to serve the team.