Two PSG players ‘won’t shake hands’ in friendly game before Champions League final
When Paris Saint-Germain played Bayern Munich in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final, they looked like a really well-oiled team. PSG scored early, just three minutes into the away game, and held on until Harry Kane’s late goal made it a draw. It showed how well the team worked together, proving that even with the usual tensions in a pro squad, it doesn’t have to hurt their performance.
One player missing that night was defender Ilya Zabarnyi. He joined PSG from AFC Bournemouth last summer after a great time in the Premier League. The 23-year-old played in six Champions League games for PSG this season, starting twice, but hasn’t played since the group stage.
Before their Champions League final against Arsenal on May 30, Zabarnyi and PSG goalkeeper Matvey Safonov were seen on opposite sides during a practice match. Cameras caught that they didn’t shake hands when the two halves of the squad greeted each other.
No one knows for sure why, but many think it’s because of their backgrounds. Zabarnyi is from Kyiv, Ukraine, and Safonov is from Stavropol, Russia. They have played together in 13 matches this season, including once in the Champions League. So, it’s not surprising that in an awkward moment, a Ukrainian and a Russian might skip a handshake. It also shows that sometimes teams have internal tensions that don’t affect their play on the field.
Zabarnyi and Safonov have shared over 1,000 minutes on the pitch this season, but it seems unlikely they’ll play together in Budapest for the final. PSG have made it to their second Champions League final in a row, after finally winning the title last season. They beat Arsenal 3-1 on aggregate in last year’s semi-finals and will face them again at the Puskas Arena next weekend, this time with the trophy at stake.