PSG goalkeeper Matvei Safonov plays full 90 minutes after warm-up collision with coaching staff

There are tough athletes, and then there is Matvei Safonov, a man who apparently treats pre-match medical emergencies as a minor scheduling inconvenience. PSG’s goalkeeper collided with goalkeeping coach Borja Álvarez during warm-ups before the Ligue 1 fixture against Lille on August 28, 2026. The impact caught Safonov in the head, neck, and back as he attempted to punch a ball away during drills. He needed on-pitch medical attention. He then walked out and played all 90 minutes of a 2-2 draw anyway. What actually happened in warm-ups The collision happened in full view of staff, players, and cameras, and footage of the incident circulated widely across media the same day and into August 29. Safonov was trying to punch a ball during a standard pre-match drill when he and Álvarez met at precisely the wrong moment. The contact was significant enough that medical personnel came onto the pitch to assess him. PSG’s medical staff cleared him to play. Safonov was passed fit, took his place between the posts, and did not leave the field. The match itself finished 2-2. Safonov completed the full game without being substituted. A goalkeeper who has a complicated relationship with his own bod...