In a good head start: will Safonov and Khaikin's clubs qualify for the 1/8 Champions League

Paris Saint-Germain of France and its goalkeeper Matvey Safonov are close to reaching the main draw of the Champions League playoffs. It is highly likely that on February 25, the Russian goalkeeper will be in the starting line-up for the return play-off match against Monaco. Nikita Khaykin, our other goalkeeper, and his Bude-Glimt have a good chance of knocking Inter Milan, last year's finalist of the tournament, out of the Champions League.

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PSG – Monaco

In the first match of the first round of the Champions League playoffs, PSG won a strong-willed victory over Monaco with a score of 3:2, losing 0:2. Two goals conceded did not cast doubt on Matvey Safonov's status as the first number of the capital's team. Last weekend, he secured it by playing the match of the 23rd round of the French championship against Metz to zero. PSG won 3-0 and regained the lead in the national championship, taking advantage of the misfire of its main competitor, Lens.

By the way, Lens lost at home to Monaco (2:3), who could not use the disqualified Russian midfielder Alexander Golovin. The Monegasques are not counting on him in the return game against PSG either, because the Russian managed to get eliminated out of the blue in two consecutive matches — first in the French championship, then in the Champions League. And in both cases, he received red cards after making assists.

There are 10 rounds left until the end of the French Championship. PSG is two points ahead of second-placed Lens. And, it seems, Safonov will be at the heart of the decisive spring segment, and not Frenchman Luc Chevalier, who was relied on in the first half of the season. In the case of Monaco's passage, Parisians will play twice in the 1/8 finals of the Champions League in March against Spanish Barcelona or English Chelsea.

— PSG is unlikely to miss the advantage gained in the first match, — says Andrey Chervichenko, the former owner of Spartak Moscow. — And even more so in the confrontation with Monaco, which is failing the season, is stuck in the middle of the championship table and alternates good matches with frankly disastrous ones. In addition, they will play without Golovin, who, despite all his difficulties, remains one of the leaders of the team. PSG must move on, and Safonov, who is increasingly confident in maintaining the status of the main goalkeeper of a top club, will help him in this.

Salvation is a handiwork: how three Russians reached the Champions League playoffs

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Inter – Buda-Glimt

PSG won the last Champions League with Italian Gianluigi Donnarumma as the main goalkeeper and Matvey Safonov as a substitute. In the final, the French club defeated Inter Milan 5-0. After that, head coach Simone Inzaghi left the Italian team.

He led the Nerazzurri for four years, leading them to victory in the Italian Championship (2024) and two Champions League finals (2023, 2025). He was replaced by Cristian Kivu, the famous Romanian defender of Inter in the 2000s.

With him, the Milan team is confidently leading in the Italian championship and almost secured victory in Serie A. But he may be eliminated from the Champions League as early as February 24, and quite unexpectedly. In the first game of the playoff round, Inter sensationally lost away to Norwegian Buda Glimt with a score of 1:3.

The Scandinavian club is many times inferior in financial capabilities to the European top teams, but at the right moment it gives them a fight - at the end of January, in the final two matches of the group stage, it managed to beat Manchester City at home (3:1) and Atletico Madrid (2:1) away.

That's what helped them get into the playoff zone. One of the heroes of those games was Russian goalkeeper Nikita Khaykin, who has remained one of the leaders of Bud Glimt for more than five years. He also helped his team in the first game against Inter. Now, following the results of the second leg in Milan, the Norwegians need to not lose by more than one goal in order to go further. In this case, they will face a two-legged match against Manchester City or Sporting Lisbon in the 1/8 finals.

"Considering how selflessly and organized Bud Glimt is playing against big clubs, he may well pass Inter," Dmitry Bulykin, a former striker for the Russian national team, told Izvestia. — It is clear that it will be more difficult for the Norwegian team in the return game, as the stands will drive the opponent forward. Inter will play to the maximum to eliminate the two-goal gap. And here it is very important that Khaykin plays as reliably as in previous matches. Then his team's chances of getting through will be very good.

The second leg of the 1/16 finals of the Europa League will also take place this week. There, Russian viewers may be interested in the confrontation with the participation of our midfielder Magomed Ozdoev, who plays for the Greek PAOK. Last week, his team lost at home to the Spanish Celta (1:2). On February 26, they will have a return meeting away.