PSG team-mates REFUSE to shake hands hinting at discord within squad before Arsenal Champions League final
PSG team-mates Matvey Safonov and Illia Zabarnyi were seen snubbing a handshake with each other during an internal friendly in the build-up to the Champions League final.
The French giants will be seeking to retain the title they claimed for the first time when they face Arsenal in Budapest on May 30.
PSG allowed fans to watch a training session on Saturday as they prepare for the final, which included dividing the squad into two teams for a friendly.
Safonov and Zabarnyi were on different teams for the friendly and declined to shake hands prior to the match.
In footage shared on social media by fans, Safonov was seen shaking hands with opposition players as he walked down the line, before the Russian and Zabarnyi deliberately avoided each other.
Zabarnyi, who is Ukrainian, has been vocal about avoiding personal relationships with Russians following the invasion of Ukraine back in 2022.
Goalkeeper Matvey Safonov was seen snubbing a hand shake with PSG team-mate Illia Zabarnyi in a squad friendly ahead of the Champions League final
PSG are building for the Champions League final against Arsenal on May 30 in Budapest
Speaking in September, Zabarnyi admitted he only interacted with Safonov on a professional level at PSG.
‘In my country, a full-scale war has been raging for four years,’ Zabarnyi told Football 360.
‘The Russians are aggressors who are trying in vain to destroy the freedom and independence of Ukraine. I do not maintain any personal relations with any Russians.
‘I have to interact with [Safonov] on a professional level during training and fulfil my obligations to the club.
‘But as long as the war continues, I fully support the isolation of Russian football in the world.’
Safonov declined to comment when asked about Zabarnyi’s comments the following month.
The Russian goalkeeper looks set to start the Champions League final, having become Luis Enrique’s first choice in the second half of the season, making 26 appearances in total.
While he has played in the majority of PSG’s league matches in his debut season at the club, Zabarnyi has been on the bench throughout the Champions League knock-out stage.
