Paris Saint-Germain successfully defended their UEFA Champions League title in the 2025/26 season, with Russian goalkeeper Matvey Safonov emerging as the team’s starting goalkeeper and playing a central role throughout the knockout stages.

The campaign began in the playoff round. On February 25, PSG faced Monaco in the second leg, drawing 2-2. Safonov started on his birthday, and defender Kulibali received a red card. PSG advanced to the round of 16, where they would face Chelsea. Two days later, PSG coach Luis Enrique called Safonov a goalkeeper of high level, noting that the Russian had played 11 matches for the club that season, with four clean sheets.

On March 18, PSG defeated Chelsea 3-0 in the second leg of the round of 16, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Bradley Barcola, and Senny Mayulu scoring. Safonov started and provided an assist. Enrique said he was fortunate to have good goalkeepers in Safonov and Luca Chevalier. French media reported that Safonov had displaced Chevalier as the first-choice goalkeeper, and the following day it was reported that Chevalier might leave PSG rather than remain a backup. On March 27, Transfermarkt increased Safonov’s market value by €7 million to €22 million.

On April 3, Safonov explained he had won the competition with Chevalier through his mentality and work ethic, having started 13 consecutive matches since January 28. The next day, PSG beat Toulouse 3-1 in Ligue 1, though Safonov made a mistake that led to a goal. Both Dembele and Enrique publicly supported him, with Dembele stating the team had full trust in the goalkeeper.

In the Champions League quarterfinals, PSG faced Liverpool. On April 9, PSG won the first leg 2-0 with goals from Desire Doue and Kvaratskhelia, and Safonov kept a clean sheet. The second leg on April 15 also ended 2-0, with a brace from Ousmane Dembele and five saves from Safonov, giving PSG a 4-0 aggregate victory. Safonov received a match rating of 8 out of 10 from L’Equipe, the best among PSG players, and became the first Russian goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet at Anfield in the Champions League. On April 16, the semifinal pairings were drawn: PSG would face Bayern Munich, with Atletico Madrid taking on Arsenal. PSG subsequently defeated Bayern to reach the final.

The Champions League final was played on May 30 at the Puskas Arena in Budapest against Arsenal. The match ended 1-1 after extra time, with Kai Havertz scoring for Arsenal and Dembele equalizing from the penalty spot. In the shootout, PSG won 4-3, with Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes missing the decisive penalty. Safonov started and played the entire match, becoming the first Russian to win the Champions League twice (he had previously won the tournament with the same club). French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated PSG, and former PSG goalkeeper Bernard Lama praised Safonov as one of the best goalkeepers in Europe. Former Russia international Alexander Mostovoy argued that Safonov had not surpassed Igor Akinfeev’s legacy. After the match, Safonov’s wife Marina Kondratyuk brought a Russian flag onto the pitch, having improvised it from French tricolor flags because Safonov had forgotten the flag. Safonov posted a video mocking his critics.

Following the match, riots erupted in Paris and other French cities. Police used batons and tear gas to disperse fans, with authorities deploying 22,000 law enforcement officers for security, according to РИА Новости. During the celebrations, a fatal motorcycle accident occurred on the Paris ring road, according to RT. According to РИА Новости, Interior Minister Nunez reported that 178 police officers were injured. A 13-year-old teenager in a Paris suburb lost vision in his right eye after being hit by a projectile; deputy Ali Diouara filed a complaint, and the police inspectorate IGPN opened an investigation, as reported by РИА Новости. A second case emerged on June 2, with a 14-year-old in Fontenay-sous-Bois claiming injury from rubber bullets; the IGPN also opened an investigation, and Interior Minister Nunez promised to reveal the truth, according to РИА Новости. A third case in Cachan was being investigated separately.

On May 31, PSG held a championship parade in Paris, and President Macron received the team at the Elysee Palace, calling PSG the greatest club in Europe. Macron also condemned the rioters, according to RBK. Russian Presidential Special Representative Kirill Dmitriev linked the riots in Paris to uncontrolled immigration, stating that EU bureaucrats cannot acknowledge the problem. He noted that French police had detained 416 fans during the unrest, according to РИА Новости. Kvaratskhelia was named the Champions League Player of the Season after scoring 10 goals and providing 6 assists in 16 matches. Safonov was not included in the tournament’s symbolic team of the season. Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson congratulated PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, describing Arsenal as a boring defensive team.

On June 1, PSG fans chanted Safonov’s name during the stadium celebration, and the goalkeeper laughed during Macron’s speech. Transfermarkt updated its valuations, raising Safonov’s price to €30 million, making him the most expensive Russian footballer. That day, Jordan Bardella, leader of the National Rally party, compared the riots to a civil war, stating that no sporting event in France takes place without unrest, as reported by РИА Новости. According to Kommersant, Safonov had joined PSG from Krasnodar in 2024 for €20 million and has since won Ligue 1, the Champions League, the Coupe de France, the Trophee des Champions, the UEFA Super Cup, and the Intercontinental Cup with the club. RT reported that PSG would offer Safonov a new contract on improved terms until the summer of 2031.

On June 2, PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi condemned the riots, calling the perpetrators not real fans, and said over 890 people had been detained across France, as reported by РИА Новости. Separately, RBC reported that the 2025/26 season saw three Russians in the top five European leagues: Safonov, Alexander Golovin (Monaco, 5 goals, 6 assists), and Arsen Zakharyan (Real Sociedad, 1 goal, Copa del Rey winner). Expert opinions on whether this was the best season for Russians in Europe were divided. RT reported that Safonov would appear as a guest on an astrological show hosted by astrologer Olesya Ivanchenko, with filming scheduled for June 7 in Moscow.

On June 3, Alexander Medvedev called Safonov the best footballer in Russia at the moment, citing his Champions League victory with PSG and noting that Safonov became the first Russian to win the trophy twice, according to RT.

On June 4, the CIES Football Observatory ranked Safonov as the seventh most valuable goalkeeper in the world, with an estimated transfer value of €42.9 million, according to РИА Новости. AC Milan's Gianluigi Donnarumma topped the list at €79.5 million. The same day, Russia national team head coach Valery Karpin congratulated Safonov on his Champions League victory, according to RT. Also on June 4, a survey by Odoxa-Backbone reported by РИА Новости found that 56% of French people blame the government and Interior Minister Nunez for the riots, while 77% believe the frequent unrest indicates a spread of violence in the country. The survey also noted that 219 citizens and 178 police officers were injured, with around 900 detained.

On June 5, former footballer Dmitry Demenko compared the achievements of Igor Akinfeev and Matvey Safonov. He noted that while Akinfeev had proven his level over many years for club and country, winning the UEFA Cup and Russian league titles, Safonov surpasses him in titles due to his Champions League victory with PSG, becoming the first Russian to win the trophy twice, as reported by RT. Russian Football Union president Alexander Dyukov stated that the Russian Cup superfinal between Spartak and Krasnodar was more interesting than the Champions League final, according to RBK. Separately, French Minister David Amiel announced that the government intends to recover compensation from participants in the riots, potentially from social benefits, as reported by РИА Новости. Also on June 5, Safonov was named PSG's best player for May by Le Parisien, beating Marquinhos, Fabian Ruiz, Desire Doue, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia; during the month he played two Ligue 1 matches and featured in the Champions League semifinal and final, according to РИА Новости.