Paris Saint-Germain confirmed that their manager Luis Enrique was forced into hospital after fracturing his collarbone during a cycling accident on Friday. The Spanish tactician will require surgery.
Enrique is an avid cyclist. The retired former Real Madrid and Barcelona midfielder famously announced his Spain squad for the 2022 World Cup with a video showing the names of players printed onto the winding roads he was pedalling along.
It may be some time before he gets back in the saddle after this unsettling incident. PSG released a short statement on Friday evening explaining the situation. “Following a bicycle fall that occurred this Friday, Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique was attended to by emergency services and will undergo surgery for a fractured collarbone,” it read.
“Paris Saint-Germain wishes to express its full support to Luis Enrique and wishes him a speedy recovery. The Club will communicate further information shortly.”
It’s unclear where Enrique was cycling but he has been known to navigate treacherous routes in the past. “I’m not afraid of the worst in football... if they sack me, no problem,” he once mused. “The next day, I’ll go for a cycling trip.” That was exactly what happened after he parted ways with Spain’s national team in December 2022.
The endurance enthusiast took part in South Africa’s Absa Cape Epic in March 2023. The eight-day mountain biking ordeal spans roughly 700km in distance, and 16,000m of climbs. Unperturbed, Enrique posted a picture of himself grinning through a thin layer of mud during the event.
Quite how long it will take Enrique to get back on the touchline remains to be seen.
PSG have made a perfect start to their domestic campaign but face some daunting fixtures rapidly racing over the horizon. After beginning the defence of their Champions League title against Atalanta on Sep. 17, the French giants clash with arch-rivals Marseille in the season’s first edition of ‘Le Classique.’ There is also a trip to Enrique’s former club Barcelona scheduled for Oct. 1.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as PSG Boss Luis Enrique Hospitalised After Cycling Accident.