FCBARCELONA.CAT

02.08.2007 13:53

Medical team covering the rest

Marc Guillén / Anna Segura

FC Barcelona's medical team has prepared a plan for the tour of Asia with the aim of reducing the possible effects of jetlag on the players. The idea is to ensure that the players sleep at normal times so that they can train properly.

Despite the squad being accustomed to long journeys, the medical staff are keen to avoid any of the players from feeling the effects of the trip to the Far East and have implemented a programme to ward off any problems.

Time difference

At 1pm on Thursday afternoon, the Barça party set off on a charter flight from Prat airport towards the Chinese capital, Beijing. The time difference is plus six hours and the plane is due to land, therefore, at 5.55am on Friday, while in Barcelona the time will be 11.55pm on Thursday.

Even though they will arrive in China at the time that everyone there is rising, the medical team believes that "instead of trying to stay awake all day, something that would cause exhaustion, the key is to sleep first and then train afterwards.

Normal hours

Shortly after arriving at their hotel, the players will have breakfast and then rest. Later in the day they will have an afternoon snack and then head off to training before going back to the hotel for dinner and more sleep. The medical team added that "the players will sleep eight hours like a normal day, but will be up at 4pm, Chinese time, instead. Then they will train, eat dinner and then go to bed at a normal hour in accordance with the local time". The aim, the team added, is that instead of sleeping less, the players will be in great condition for training.