"Tell me what kind of midfielder you have, and I'll tell you what kind of team you are." This is undoubtedly one of the most famous quotes from one of the most brilliant minds in the world of football, Juanma Lillo, 'the coach of the coach,' as Pep Guardiola defined him. Luis Enrique has also drawn from his sources, managing to create the best midfield currently in Europe, led by the figures of Vitinha, Fabián Ruiz, and Joao Neves. They are the driving force behind a PSG team that has already secured its 13th Ligue 1 title with six games left in the season... and without losing a single match.

The Vitinha-Fabián Tandem that Won Over Luis Enrique

This is a midfield that shouldn’t be understood as three independent players. However, if there is one player who can be considered the chief of operations, it’s Vitinha. He didn’t get much prominence in his first season at PSG under Galtier. However, he became Luis Enrique's right-hand man from the moment he arrived, even to the point of becoming the player who has featured the most (87 games) under his management at PSG over the past two seasons. A dynamic and energetic midfielder from whom the furious pace that PSG imposes on its opponents is explained. To give an idea, he is the sixth midfielder in Europe who helps his team progress the ball the most.

His perfect partner during this past year has been Fabián Ruiz, who had to win back Luis Enrique's favor after a period when he didn’t meet expectations as the coach of Spain. Having won the Euro with Spain last summer and being a key figure due to his blend of physicality and technical quality, his status changed dramatically at the start of the current season with PSG. Luis Enrique even acknowledged his mistake in not taking him to the Qatar World Cup. It’s no wonder, as he holds the record for the longest unbeaten streak by a PSG player in Ligue 1, with 50 matches, dating back to the 1947/48 season.

Joao Neves: The Crown Jewel for Luis Enrique at PSG

Remembering his time as coach of Spain, Luis Enrique always defined himself as a lover of Gavi, and this summer, PSG fulfilled his wish by signing a kind of clone in Joao Neves, who, to this day, has already established himself as one of the best midfielders in the world. A versatile player capable of organizing and destroying the game equally... who has also revealed a previously unknown goal-scoring side. To give an idea, he is the fourth PSG player who records the most progressive passes and the first who makes the most tackles. In some matches, Luis Enrique has even used him as a fullback, and he has continued to respond because, above all, he is a born competitor.

The level that this trio of midfielders has shown throughout the season is nearing excellence... to the point of having relegated Zaïre-Emery, the greatest talent to come out of PSG's academy in recent years, to the bench. Luis Enrique had placed all his trust in him, even as a teenager. However, this is merely an explanation of why Vitinha, Fabián Ruiz, and Joao Neves make up Europe’s best midfield, which, after conquering Ligue 1, is now aiming for its first Champions League.