On Saturday, October 17, Paris Saint-Germain secured a victory against Strasbourg (1–3) in Ligue 1, coming from behind to win. Ilya Zabarnyi, the 24-year-old PSG central defender who scored the equalizer, spoke in the mixed zone about the match, his adaptation, and the level of the league.
Zabarnyi: “We just kept playing our game”
On the match against Strasbourg:
“Yes, absolutely. We expected a difficult match, and it was. Playing away from home is tough. They create a great atmosphere, and they scored first in the first half. It was a bit complicated for us.
But we didn’t play poorly, you know. We just kept playing our game, and in the end, we won. That’s what matters most.”
Zabarnyi: “My adaptation is going well”
On his performance level and his adaptation to PSG:
“I mean, I definitely feel like I’m already at this level—that’s for sure. I just need to push myself even further, because I always demand more from myself. It’s a matter of time, but I feel very, very comfortable. My adaptation is going well, I think.”
“I just need to start speaking French—hopefully soon. I’m taking lessons, but it’s difficult for me. Still, I’m hopeful.”
Zabarnyi: “It’s simply not easy for us to play in Ligue 1”
On the level of Ligue 1 and the challenges faced in Strasbourg:
“I mean, Strasbourg is a good team, you know.” And perhaps it is, of course, difficult to play after the Champions League—you know, coming back to the league. But today, I saw a team that wants to win.
It’s simply not easy for us to play in Ligue 1. People joke around, calling it a “farmers’ league” or whatever, but playing for Paris Saint-Germain in the French championship is not easy at all.
So, it was a tough match for us. You all saw it. They created chances… they played well, too. But today, we were better.
Zabarnyi: “We have many guys here who deserve it.”
Could one say that Dembélé deserves the Ballon d’Or?
Clearly, yes. We have many guys here who deserve it, and Ousmane is one of them. I would love to see our players win the Ballon d’Or because they deserve it.
Zabarnyi: “We are fighting for all of Europe.”
This week, Marine Le Pen—well, you know… she said she would stop providing aid to Ukraine if she were president. What are your thoughts on that?
I mean, it’s all very political. And, of course, I know that Emmanuel Macron provides a great deal of support to Ukraine, which is very important to us.
We are truly proud of our country, and we are proud of the good relations we have now. I hope that when a new president takes office in France, they will continue to support Ukraine—because we aren’t just fighting for Ukraine. We are fighting for all of Europe.
