Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique does not believe star midfielder Vitinha got the recognition he deserved in the Ballon d’Or rankings.
The back-to-back Champions League winners head to rock-bottom Le Havre on Friday evening having moved top of Ligue 1 with last weekend’s 2-0 win against Lyon.
PSG return to action fresh from being crowned Men’s Club of the Year at the 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony, when 10 of their players were among the 30 nominees for the men’s award.
Vitinha was among those and ended up 14th, a year on from finishing third when team-mate Ousmane Dembélé lifted the trophy.
PSG boss Enrique said of the Portugal international: “It’s a real pleasure to have a player with such technical and physical ability. His level is incredible.
“We’re very pleased to have a player of his calibre, even though he wasn’t ranked as highly as he deserves to be in the Ballon d’Or rankings.”
Sixth-placed Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was PSG’s highest-ranked player at the Ballon d’Or and this week underwent surgery in Qatar on a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Dembélé finished seventh and is another missing for Friday’s game at Le Havre, as are Nuno Mendes and Marquinhos after recording 23rd and 25th place finishes.
PSG said the trio “all continue their rehabilitation” and head coach Enrique said: “We like to have as much control as possible, and the issue of injuries has been a major focus of our work in recent years.
“Some players suffer injuries more frequently than others, so it can sometimes be difficult to control. We aim to refine and optimise the training load to minimise the number of injured players.
“Throughout my coaching career, we’ve always sought to manage this; there have been tough times and better times, but I’m pleased with what we’re trying to achieve.
“However, it’s always difficult because injuries are part and parcel of top-flight football.”
PSG have the strength in depth to cope, even with a Champions League match at Villarreal and home game against Troyes following the perennial Ligue 1 champions’ game at winless Le Havre.
Enrique knows the pressure is on them to stay in their “favourite position” and wants to continue building as they head to the Stade Océane seeking a ninth straight win in all competitions.
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“Every time we’ve been there or faced teams considered to be weaker, we’ve had problems,” the Spaniard said. “Even though we’re top of the table and they’re bottom, there will be difficult moments to manage during the match. It’s a test and a challenge for us.
“We have to continue to find sources of motivation to perform well. It’s never easy to go and play at Le Havre. They cause problems with their centre-forward and their wingers.
“They’re one of the teams in Ligue 1 that put in the most crosses. We have to show that we’re ready to overcome all that.”
