20.07.2010 11:27

First pre-season training session

Marc Guillén / Jordi Clos

Barca’s first training session of the pre-season centred very much on physical work, with the Barca B players forming the majority of the 28 man squad.

After the medical tests on Monday, the players today had their first real training session at the Ciutat Esportivo this morning. Pep Guardiola had 10 first team players under his orders (Pinto, Maxwell, Milito, Adriano, Víctor Sánchez, Keita, Hleb, Bojan, Ibrahimovic and Jeffren), as well as 18 from Barca B (Oier, Miño, Masip, Dalmau, Sergi Gómez, Armando, Fontàs, Muniesa, Riverola, Ilie, Víctor Vázquez, Sergi Roberto, Jonathan dos Santos, Edu Oriol, Tello, Benja, Jonathan Soriano and Nolito).

Ball work

After some warm up and ball retention activities, the players were introduced to a new variant in which when a ball is lost between two players during the retention “piggy in the middle”, both players have to go into the middle. This new variant which will be used throughout the season, makes for more intensity in the activity.

There then followed an hour of circuit training, but with the ball never far away. Only B team player Andreu Fontas did not complete the session, as he went back to the changing rooms to continue with his recovery work. Guardiola was especially interested in the work out in by the Barca B players.

Fighting the heat

In order to combat the intense heat in Barcelona, the staff have scheduled training to start early – at 09.00- and every 10-15 minutes the players stopped for water and stretching exercises.