“It’s Unbelievable”: Luis Enrique Lifts the Lid on PSG Goalkeeper’s Painful Intercontinental Cup Heroics
Paris Saint-Germain have grown accustomed to collecting trophies in recent years, but even by their own lofty standards, the manner of their latest triumph felt extraordinary. Long after the celebrations in Qatar had died down, Luis Enrique revealed a detail that cast PSG’s Intercontinental Cup victory in an even more dramatic light: goalkeeper Matvey Safonov played through a fractured hand during the penalty shoot-out that sealed the title.
“It’s unbelievable,” the PSG head coach admitted, still sounding faintly stunned days later. And it really was. Four penalty saves, a shoot-out won 2-1, and a trophy added to an already overflowing cabinet – all achieved while the Russian goalkeeper was unknowingly battling a broken bone.
PSG and Luis Enrique Add Another Trophy to a Historic Year
PSG arrived at the Intercontinental Cup final with expectation rather than hope. Champions League winners earlier in the year, they had earned a bye straight into the final, where Copa Libertadores champions Flamengo awaited at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Qatar.
The match itself followed a familiar PSG script: control, patience, and moments of quality. Kvicha Kvaratskhelia put the French champions ahead in normal time, only for Flamengo to respond through Jorginho’s coolly taken penalty. Extra time came and went without a winner, pushing the contest into the most unforgiving of finales.
What followed was chaos, drama, and eventually, Safonov.
In the shoot-out, PSG scored twice through Vitinha and Nuno Mendes. Flamengo, meanwhile, kept running into a wall. Saul Niguez, Pedro, Leo Pereira and Luiz Araujo all failed from the spot, each denied by Safonov. Four penalties. Four saves. One title.
By the time the dust settled, PSG had completed a clean sweep in 2025: Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Trophée des Champions, UEFA Super Cup, Champions League – and now the Intercontinental Cup.
The Intercontinental Cup Final Turns on One Man
luis-enrique PSG
What nobody knew – not even Safonov himself, according to Luis Enrique – was that the goalkeeper had fractured his left hand midway through the shoot-out.
“We can’t explain it,” Enrique said later at a press conference. “It’s unbelievable. The player himself doesn’t know exactly how it happened. We think it was on the third penalty kick, when he made a strange movement. He has a fracture.”
The injury is believed to have occurred as Safonov saved his third penalty, yet somehow he powered through the pain to deny Flamengo again and again.
“With the adrenaline pumping,” Enrique added, “he must have finished the session despite the fracture.”
In football, goalkeeping bravery is often spoken about in abstract terms. This was something much more literal.
‘He Showed How Good He Is’ – Teammates Hail PSG Goalkeeper
Nuno Mendes, one of PSG’s successful penalty takers, was quick to praise the goalkeeper afterwards.
“He had a great match and of course we all thanked him,” Mendes said. “We’re really pleased for him and for the team. He showed how good he is. We’ve been practising penalties, and thankfully today he was there to save them.”
Warren Zaïre-Emery echoed that sentiment, offering a glimpse into how highly Safonov is regarded inside the dressing room.
“He waited for his time and showed what he was capable of,” the midfielder said. “He’s settled in very nicely, learned French quickly, and always puts the team first. We need players like that.”
Who Is Matvey Safonov and How Did He End Up Here?
Safonov’s journey to this moment has been anything but straightforward. Signed in the summer of 2024, he arrived in Paris as a reliable number two behind Gianluigi Donnarumma. At the time, few expected him to play a leading role in major finals.
His international career has also been shaped by circumstances beyond football. Safonov became Russia’s first-choice goalkeeper just as the national team was banned from competitive international football following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. While Russia can still play organised friendlies, the lack of tournament exposure limited his profile.
At club level, opportunity appeared briefly when Donnarumma fell out of favour before moving to Manchester City. That opening, however, seemed to close quickly with PSG’s signing of Lucas Chevalier from Lille. The 23-year-old Frenchman was seen as the long-term solution.
But football is rarely linear. Chevalier’s inconsistent form, followed by an injury against Monaco last month, reopened the door. Safonov stepped in – and stayed ready.
Fractured Hand, Uncertain Timeline, and a New Dilemma
For Luis Enrique, the situation creates a dilemma. Safonov’s heroics make him impossible to ignore, yet Chevalier will have an opportunity to reclaim his place in the coming weeks.
Whether Safonov has done enough to push for the number one shirt when he returns remains to be seen. What is certain is that he has earned respect – from his coach, his teammates, and supporters.
A Moment That Defines a Career
Football is full of statistics, tactics and long-term planning. But sometimes, a single night tells you everything you need to know about a player.
Matvey Safonov saved four penalties in an Intercontinental Cup final with a fractured hand. He didn’t complain. He didn’t signal for help. He just kept stopping shots.
For PSG, it meant another trophy. For Luis Enrique, it was “unbelievable”. For Safonov himself, it may well be the moment that changes how he is seen in Paris – not as a backup, but as a goalkeeper capable of carrying a club on the biggest stage.
And sometimes, that’s how football careers truly begin.
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