Kornyukhin Praises Safonov's Achievement at PSG

Former goalkeeper of "Zenit" and CSKA, Yevgeny Kornyukhin, shared his thoughts on PSG goalkeeper Matvey Safonov's significant achievement in an exclusive interview with "Euro-Football.ru." Safonov set a FIFA tournament record during the FIFA Intercontinental Cup match against Flamengo by saving four consecutive penalty kicks in a shootout.

Kornyukhin called Safonov's performance a major success: “Of course, this is a tremendous achievement. Matvey played brilliantly and led the team forward.

For many, this may have been unexpected. First and foremost, he justified the trust of his coach and proved that his time at PSG was not spent in vain, nor was he waiting idly for an opportunity.

When given a chance, he made the most of it,” he stated. The interview also discussed Safonov consulting a "cheat sheet" on a towel before the penalty shootout.

Kornyukhin viewed this method positively: “I consider this absolutely normal. After all, in pre-match briefings, coaches explain who the opponent is and analyze their strengths.

Safonov is not the only goalkeeper who uses such notes. Many do it: they observe where players usually aim their shots.

Forewarned is forearmed,” he emphasized. However, Kornyukhin did not fully confirm that this "trick" was the deciding factor: he noted that the player taking the penalty ultimately decides where to shoot and is not obliged to repeat the direction of their previous attempts.

"The cheat sheet is simply an additional aid for Safonov," he said. Kornyukhin also mentioned that yesterday’s game marked Safonov's sixth trophy during his one-and-a-half-year stint at PSG, which he credited as a purely “personal” achievement: “He made a tremendous contribution to the overall victory.

He can justifiably count this trophy as one of his personal accolades,” Kornyukhin noted. When asked if Safonov would now solidify his position as PSG’s first-choice goalkeeper, Kornyukhin responded: “Based on the recent games, undoubtedly.

But this is now a headache for the coach. Safonov’s confident performance yesterday speaks volumes.

This factor could be decisive for the coach’s decision.” Kornyukhin also pointed out that Safonov’s success positively impacts Russian football: “Matvey is now a hero not only in France but also in Russia.

The media is all over this story, and even my acquaintances are sending me messages. He’s genuinely a hero right now.

How long will it last? Consistency is the hallmark of skill.

From now on, everything depends on Safonov himself.” The report also recalled that Russia’s national team head coach, Valery Karpin, had been criticized for calling up the goalkeeper despite his limited playing time.

Kornyukhin said that the coaching staff considers multiple candidates: “Yes, Matvey wasn’t very lucky in the game against Peru. But the key here is how a person overcomes failure and moves forward.

With yesterday’s performance, Safonov proved he has left that behind and is progressing. That is his merit.

I think communication with Vitaly Kafanov and Karpin may have helped as well — they have surely spoken with Matvey. Perhaps Kafanov gave him some advice before the game.

All of this contributed to the result.” Kornyukhin concluded by highlighting the significance of winning the Intercontinental Cup, stating such trophies should be a source of pride: to date, Safonov is the only Russian player to have won this title.

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