FCBARCELONA.CAT

21.03.2007 18:41

Barça feel the cold

The first springtime training session at the La Masia was dominated by cold weather.

Despite being the first day of spring, the wind and the cold weather dominated a training session in the which 12 players participated at La Masia training pitch. The players were exactly the same 12 that took part in Tuesday’s training and are the players without international obligations this week - plus Gudjohnsen who has yet to join up with the Icelandic team.

The weather conditions forced Barça such as players Sylvinho, Motta and Messi to wear the type of woolly hat normally kept for the coldest days of winter.

The goalkeepers, on the sideline

At the start of the session the players warmed-up by running and doing some physical work. Afterwards the players did a single ‘circuit’ for the 10 outfield players while the goalkeepers continued their physical exercises with Juan Carlos Unzué. The session continued with an exercise in pairs practicing short and long distance passing.

Plenty of physical work

Despite not having a game this weekend, the training session focused on the physical conditioning of the players. They underwent a circuit that combined sprints, strength exercises, dribbling and passing with shots on goal. The circuits were practiced on the right and the left while the intensity and the rhythm of execution was noticeable. The circuits were mixed with ball control exercises in tight spaces during which Rikjaard told the players that make use of free space and defensive pressure.