Luis Enrique addresses Vitinha’s Ballon d'Or snub and reveals biggest challenge with Désiré Doué

The Paris Saint-Germain manager addressed the team's injury woes this season while also admitting the difficulty of managing the hype surrounding young talent Désiré Doué. He also showered praise on Vitinha, who finished down in 14th place in the Ballon d'Or rankings.

"We like to have as much control as possible, and managing injuries has been a vital part of our work in recent years. Some players are more injury-prone than others, so it can be difficult to control at times. We try to optimize training workloads to reduce injuries. Throughout my coaching career, we have always tried to stay on top of this. We've had tough times and better ones, but I'm pleased with what we are trying to achieve. It is always a challenge, though, because injuries are simply part of top-level football."

"We know Vitinha well, so his performances come as no surprise. It's a real pleasure to have a player with such technical and physical qualities. His level is incredible. I'm thrilled to have a footballer of his calibre, even if he didn't finish where he deserved in the Ballon d'Or rankings. Matvey Safonov also fits our profile and the demands of modern football very well. He is crucial to the way we defend. I'm very satisfied—he is quite brave. I'm happy with how he's playing, and he will only continue to improve."

"Doué? For a player of his technical quality and age, the hardest part is controlling the noise around him. That's the most complicated thing for me because I know Doué inside out. He's a player with an incredible work ethic and an ongoing desire to help the team. When you substitute him, he's always smiling on the bench. He just wants to contribute. He is an amazing player, and watching him brings joy to kids and everyone who loves football. I encourage him to keep doing things the same way, to stay humble and ambitious, because ambition is key. Hopefully, he keeps it up," Enrique said during his press conference ahead of tomorrow's clash against Le Havre.