Zabarny was among the substitutes, but after the break he entered the field instead of PSG captain, Brazilian Marquinhos.
The match ended in a draw 0:0.
It is noteworthy that the PSG goal in this match was defended by the goalkeeper of the national team of the aggressor Russia, Matvey Safonov.
Thus, Zabarny and Safonov played for the first time for PSG after the Ukrainian moved to the French club in August from the English Bournemouth.
Context
Zabarny moved from Dynamo Kiev to the English Premier League club Bournemouth in January 2023. He signed a five and a half year contract.
In an interview published in March 2024, Zabarny said that at some point he thought of “coming back and going to fight” against the Russian Federation. He noted that he could “just pick up a weapon and learn.” However, then he decided that he “had to play.” “The Ukrainian people need me to tell the world the truth,” added the Ukrainian defender. Zabarny also said that he financially helps the Ukrainian military.
In August 2025, the footballer moved to PSG, where Safonov was already playing at that time.
Against the backdrop of Zabarny’s transfer to PSG, the media repeatedly wrote that the French club could sell the Russian, but this did not happen. The Ukrainian also tried to avoid contact with the Russian on the field.
In an interview with Football 360 published in late August, Zabarny called the Russians “aggressors” and said he had no personal relationship with any of them. “I have to interact with [Сафоновым] at a professional level during training and fulfill my obligations to the club… But while the war is going on, I support the complete isolation of Russian football in the world,” the Ukrainian national team player said then. Safonov did not comment on Zabarny’s words.
