Ukraine in relief after PSG’s game with Rennes

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia will enter its fourth year in February 2026 and the end doesn’t seem to be close. This war has consenquences not only on human lives but also on other spheres of life, and off course football. Ukrainian sportsmen all over the world are actively ignoring Russian sportsmen even thou some of them never supported the war or chose any side in the conflict. The same goes for former Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi, who moved this June to PSG and already showed hostility towards his new teammate Matvey Safonov. And now, when the pair had to play together for the first time, he suddenly got ‘ill’ and was out of the team. The whole Ukraine watched what will happen and coach Luis Enrique was very annoyed by the questions after the game.

Safonov was on the bench this season but when Chevalier got injured, and with Donnarumma already gone, it was clear that the Russian keeper would start against Rennes. Suddenly, Zabarnyi was not feeling well. And the worst thing is, everybody knew he didn’t want to play with Safonov but tried to avoid the topic.

"It's unbelievable… Every time you ask a question, it's a bit of a problem. All the time. He's sick. He's simply sick. He's been sick for the last two days. But I know it's more important to talk about the controversy and constantly look for controversy. But there's nothing to it, he's sick" replied Luis Enrique after the game, visibly very, very annoyed.

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“What I can say is that if they had played together, it would have caused a scandal in Ukraine, especially given the current context and the recent Russian airstrikes. Russian propaganda would have exploited the situation" a Ukrainian journalist told RMC Sport, and considering that Zabarnyi trained until Thursday, it’s clear that PSG made a decision considering politics, not sport.

Even the player himself is on the spotlights in his home country.

“He has the image of a clean guy, who doesn't drink, and has never made headlines. But we'll have to watch out for any camaraderie between the two because, honestly, if there were a photo of them together or if they were seen talking at training, I think there would be some very angry people in Ukraine" explained Andrew Todos, an Anglo-Ukrainian journalist.

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Zabarnyi himself tried to portrait himself as a proper Ukrainian as soon as his arrived to PSG.

"Russians are aggressors who are trying in vain to destroy the freedom and independence of Ukraine. I have no personal relations with any Russians. I have to interact with Safonov on a professional level in training and I will fulfill my obligations to the club" he said.

LIGUE 1 ROUND 14

Friday

Brest - Monaco 1-0 (1-0)

/Doumbia 28/

Lille - Olympique Marseille 1-0 (1-0)

/Mbappe 10/

Saturday

Nantes - Lens 1-2 (1-1)

/El Arabi 38 - Thauvin 34, Said 81/

Toulouse - Strasbourg 1-0 (1-0)

/Emersonn 18/

PSG - Rennes 5-0 (2-0)

/Kvaratskhelia 28, 67, Mayulu 39, Mbaye 88, Ramos 90+1/

Sunday

17.00: (2.00) Nice (3.45) Angers (3.80)

19.15: (2.05) Auxerre (3.50) Metz (3.90)

19.15: (2.80) Le Havre (3.05) Paris (2.70)

22.45: (3.35) Lorient (3.40) Olympique Lyon (2.30)

***odds are subject to change***