Matvey Safonov, the Russian goalkeeper, made his first appearance for Paris Saint-Germain in a friendly match against Sturm Graz from Austria. The game kicked off at 19:30 Moscow time, and he shared the field with another debutant from Sturm, Daniil Khudyakov, a Russian keeper who joined Sturm after transferring from Lokomotiv Moscow.
PSG confirmed Safonov’s transfer from Krasnodar on June 14. The move came amid broader headlines surrounding his status in Russia, where it was reported that a week earlier he had been prohibited from leaving the country due to alimony obligations exceeding 60 million rubles. The ban took effect on June 6 while Safonov was in Minsk with the Russian national team, where a friendly against Belarus ended in a 4-0 victory for Russia. After the match, he returned to Russia with the squad, and it later emerged that the leave ban had been lifted.
According to an insider, Safonov was able to depart the country after settling part of the debt, which amount to around 22 thousand rubles, and the travel ban was temporarily lifted. The restriction was reimposed afterward, but by that time Safonov had already left Russia. This sequence of events drew attention to the goalkeeper’s legal and personal circumstances during the transfer window.
Additionally, Safonov was connected to publicized disputes involving his former wife, though details remained contested in media and legal circles. The case contributed to ongoing discussions about the player’s personal life and its potential impact on his professional career.