Safonov and Zakharyan joined the expanded Russian national team for the matches in March.

Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Matvey Safonov and Real Sociedad midfielder Arsen Zakharyan have joined the extended Russian national team for friendly matches against Nicaragua and Mali. The Russian Football Union (RFU) announced this on its website on March 11.

The list includes 40 players in total. The goal line consisted of Matvey Safonov (PSG), Denis Adamov (Zenit), Anton Mitryushkin (Lokomotiv), Stanislav Agkatsev (Krasnodar) and Maxim Borisko (Baltika).

Defenders: Alexander Silyanov, Evgeny Morozov (Lokomotiv); Ilya Vakhania, Viktor Melekhin (Rostov); Daniil Denisov, Ruslan Litvinov, Igor Dmitriev (Spartak); Valentin Fingers (Krasnodar), Igor Diveev (Zenit), Maxim Osipenko (Dynamo), Kirill Danilov, Danil Krugovoy (CSKA), Mingiyan Beveev (Baltika).

Midfielders: Artem Karpukas, Danil Prutsev, Alexey Batrakov, Alexander Rudenko (Lokomotiv); Matvey Kislyak, Ivan Oblyakov, Dmitry Barinov, Kirill Glebov (CSKA); Nail Umyarov (Spartak), Maxim Petrov (Baltika), Lechi Sadulaev (Akhmat); Daniil Fomin Yaroslav Gladyshev (both Dynamo); as well as Arsen Zakharyan (Real Sociedad), Alexey Miranchuk (Atlanta, USA) and Alexander Golovin (Monaco).

The group of attackers consisted of: Konstantin Tyukavin, Ivan Sergeev (Dynamo), Dmitry Vorobyov, Nikolay Komlichenko (Lokomotiv) and Georgy Melkadze (Akhmat).

Turning point: Safonov and Khaykin will prove their worth in the Champions League playoffs

Matvey will have to show that PSG's failures in recent matches are not his fault; and Nikita will have to show that Bud Glimt's successes are his merit.

Earlier, the RFU reported that on March 27, the Russian national team will play with the team of Nicaragua in Krasnodar, and on March 31 with the team of Mali in St. Petersburg. Both games will be included in the rating of the International Football Federation (FIFA). The Russian national team is ranked 36th, while the teams of Nicaragua and Mali are ranked 131st and 54th, respectively.

On March 4, former striker of the Russian national team and Zenit St. Petersburg, Alexander Kerzhakov, became the special representative of the governor of St. Petersburg for sports. He announced the appointment on his Telegram channel, posting a photo of a plaque with his new position and his name.

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