When your keeper has to be superhuman because your forwards can't finish
Let's be clear about what happened in Doha: PSG won a trophy they should've wrapped up in 90 minutes, and only survived because Matvey Safonov decided to channel prime Buffon in the shootout. Four saves. Four. That's not just good goalkeeping, that's a goalkeeper dragging his team over the line when they couldn't find the net with a GPS.
The opening exchanges told you everything about this PSG side. Joao Neves, completely unmarked at the far post in the 4th minute, somehow sends it wide. Fair enough, tight angle. Then Fabian Ruiz gets a half-volley into an empty net in the 9th minute and the ball goes out by centimeters. That's not bad luck, that's wasteful. When you're creating chances like that against Brazilian opposition and can't convert, you're asking for trouble.
Marquinhos proves experience doesn't stop brain fades
The Brazilian captain gave away one of the softest penalties you'll see at this level. Sixty-second minute, PSG are 1-0 up and cruising, and Marquinhos just leaves his leg dangling on a simple throw-in situation. Jorginho, with that ridiculous stuttering run-up, slots it home. That's a 32-year-old defender making a teenage mistake, and it nearly cost PSG everything.
Here's what frustrates me: Marquinhos has been immense for PSG over the years, but this season he's had these lapses. Against quality opposition, you get punished. Flamengo aren't peak Champions League level, but they're organized and physical. That penalty gave them life when they should've been chasing shadows.
The Lee injury changed everything
Kang-In Lee started up top and looked lively early, forcing Rossi into a save in the 7th minute. But when he went down in the 34th minute after a physical battle with Flamengo's midfield, it actually improved PSG. Mayulu came on and immediately made things happen. His cutback for Kvara's goal was instinctive, first-time, exactly what PSG needed.
That tells you something about Luis Enrique's setup. Lee's movement was decent, but Mayulu brought directness. Sometimes a forced change reveals what should've been the plan all along.
Safonov delivers when it matters
The shootout was pure theater. Safonov stopped Saul, Pedro, Pereira, and Luiz Araujo. These weren't lucky saves—he read the body language, stayed big, and made himself impossible to beat. When Dembélé and Barcola both missed their penalties, it could've been disaster. Instead, Safonov turned it into his coronation.
This matters because PSG's goalkeeper situation has been a circus since Donnarumma's form dipped. Safonov just won them a continental trophy. That's not a statement, that's a declaration.
What this actually means for PSG
They've now won the Coupe Intercontinentale, adding to their 2025 haul. But let's not pretend this was convincing. They created enough chances to win 3-0 and needed penalties to survive. The finishing remains a problem—when Dembélé came on in the 78th minute to huge applause, even he couldn't find the breakthrough despite some brilliant dribbling in extra time.
The positive? Zaïre-Emery was impeccable in midfield, shutting down Flamengo's counters. Nuno Mendes was aggressive getting forward. But when you need your keeper to save four penalties because you can't put away clear chances, that's not a sustainable model.
PSG got their trophy. Safonov got his hero moment. But Luis Enrique knows this team needs to be sharper if they want to compete for the Champions League. You don't get second chances against Real Madrid or Manchester City.