FCBARCELONA.CAT

05.04.2007 11:58

Training in the rain

It has been raining solid all week in Barcelona, and Thursday’s training session was another wet affair. But a bit of rain is not going to get in the way of Frank Rijkaard’s preparations for the trip to Zaragoza this weekend.

After the open doors training session at the Miniestadi, it was back to routine for the Barça squad and a workout at La Masia. It was cold, and it was wet, but the players’ enthusiasm has not been dampened in the slightest, with a game at La Romareda on Saturday at eight o’clock to get ready for.

Resistance work

It was spitting with rain as the players emerged for training, and as the session progressed, the water started coming down harder and harder. Things started with the usual warm-ups and drills, and then it was time for a series of circuits, all without the ball as the focus was put on fitness. This lasted ten minutes, and was coupled with running at different speeds and pair work.

Positional play

Then the outfield players (Víctor Valdés and Albert Jorquera trained separately) worked on positional strategies and losing their markers. It was during the course of this activity that Thiago Motta took a nasty knock to his left leg. He was immediately examined by the Medical Services, and an announcement later today should reveal whether there is any major cause for concern.

Game to end

After the fitness work was over, it was time for the increasingly wetter workout to conclude with a short match. Rijkaard handed blue bibs to Jorquera, Belletti, Thuram, Puyol, Albert Roca, Saviola, Iniesta, Giuly, Edmílson, Gio and Ronaldinho and yellow ones to Valdés, Zambrotta, Márquez, Oleguer, Eto’o, Ezquerro, Sylvinho, Xavi, Deco and Messi. As the rain grew more and more torrential, the match ended without either side having opened the scoring.