Matvey Safonov, the hero bringing PSG their sixth trophy of the year

As PSG celebrated their tense 2-1 penalty shoot-out win over Brazilian side Flamengo in the final of the newly formed Intercontinental Cup last night (replacing the now altered FIFA club world cup), one man will have been feeling just a tad less gleeful than his teammates: Lucas Chevalier.

Safonov shined as PSG triumphed in the Intercontinental Cup

The Frenchman, signed this summer from Lille and seen as the replacement for the outgoing Gianluigi Donnarumma, has experienced some well documented struggles this season, making a few high profile errors that have at time cost his team in important moments. Last night, the man who has effectively taken Chevalier’s spot in the PSG first team, Matvei Safonov, had his most impressive performance in a PSG shirt so far, saving four consecutive penalties in the penalty shoot out, and leading his side to a vital win.

Safonov’s saves were exceptional, as he dived both ways, saving penalties both to his right and left, as well as sticking down the middle for Leo Pereira’s penalty, which he also blocked.

Safonov has now been starting for four games in a row across all competitions, and has kept a clean sheet in two of those, having conceded two at Metz last Saturday and one (Jorginho, formerly of Chelsea and Arsenal, slotted home a cool penalty to level things up in normal time) last night.

Chevalier, of course, will primarily be delighted at his side’s success, but will be somewhat concerned at how exactly he will fight his way back into the side after the upcoming winter break that divides the French football calendar. Indeed, Safonov’s performance last night will have PSG fans pretty unanimous that he should be starting, certainly the most important games, in the near future (a situation that even the most ardent fan of the Russian would have struggled to imagine happening at the start of the season).

PSG in general gave a mixed performance in the showpiece final, up against the newly crowned Champions of the South American equivalent to the Champions League, the Copa Libertadores. The Parisians at time played some great football, with their front three combining effectively and often excitingly, but failed to put the game to bed and even really to create that many clear cut chances, as Enrique’s side looked flashy but slightly blunt in their attempts at adding to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s first half tap in.

Flamengo, who had to contend with being out of possession for large portions of the game, eventually worked their way back into the tie, and will be disappointed at the limp penalties that saw them lose the eventual shoot-out so emphatically (even despite Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembélé’s misses on the Parisian side).

Marquinhos, who conceded the penalty, looked particularly keen to make amends for his error, and could have scored from a low Dembélé cross, but got his feet mixed up at the vital moment. PSG were certainly the better side in both normal time and in extra time and would have been disappointed not to come out of the tie with the trophy.