Esteban Lepaul Reflects on Matvey Safonov’s Incredible Parade Performance

Playing at the forefront of Rennes’ attack on Saturday evening during their heavy defeat (0-5) at Parc des Princes, Esteban Lepaul gave it his all. He was a constant threat to the Ligue 1 defenses, but this time he struggled against an impressive Marquinhos-Pacho defense and an outstanding Matvey Safonov. Just seconds before the opening goal by the Parisian side, the 25-year-old striker almost made his mark if not for a brilliant save from the Russian goalkeeper. This crucial save caught the attention of the Rennes number 9 when he spoke to Ligue1+ after the match.

“To be honest, when the shot was taken and slightly deflected by Pacho, I thought it was going in because I couldn’t see Safonov. Then I just heard the sound of the post. I exchanged a few words with him at halftime. We congratulated each other. He made an incredible save, and on the counter, we conceded a goal that really hurt us in the first half,” Lepaul acknowledged after the final whistle.