Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has decided to ease the load on his players by cancelling Friday’s on-pitch training session, opting instead for a lighter schedule as the team prepares for the Spanish...
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has decided to ease the load on his players by cancelling Friday’s on-pitch training session, opting instead for a lighter schedule as the team prepares for the Spanish Super Cup final.
In the wake of the resounding win over Athletic Club in the semi-final, SPORT reports that Flick initially split his group into two separate blocks to manage fatigue and recovery.
The starters remained at the team hotel, where they followed a recovery-focused programme under the supervision of the staff.
At the same time, those who came on in the second half, along with the unused substitutes, travelled to the training ground to work on the pitch and maintain rhythm ahead of the final.
That setup has now evolved, with the coach choosing to take no risks after such an intense semi-final.
His squad is described as “somewhat loaded”, and the decision reflects a clear intention to arrive at the final with as many players as possible in peak condition.
Friday session cancelled
The key development is Flick’s choice to scrap the full training session originally scheduled for this Friday afternoon.
Barcelona will not train on Friday. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
Instead of working outside, the team will remain at the concentration hotel and go through a gentle, low-intensity routine designed to aid recovery rather than push physical limits.
By cutting back on the workload, Flick wants to have the freshness and muscle preservation that is required for the final.
The entire squad is now set to regroup on Saturday, when a complete session will be held to fine-tune details for the Super Cup final.
Furthermore, there is also positive injury news for Barcelona in goal. As part of Saturday’s session, Marc-Andre ter Stegen is expected to rejoin full group training after returning to Saudi Arabia.
The German goalkeeper had briefly left the camp and travelled back to Barcelona due to discomfort in his operated knee.
Subsequent checks showed that the issue was nothing more than a scare, clearing him to resume normal work with his teammates.
Category: General Sports
