FCBARCELONA.CAT

25.02.2008 12:15

All eyes on the Cup

Berta Brau / Vanessa Forns

After the victory over Levante in the League, all eyes are now turning to the Spanish Cup. The first team has started getting ready for Wednesday’s game against Valencia with a preparatory recovery session which Touré Yaya did not take part in.

Frank Rijkaard’s men trained today, Monday, at the Masía and have started getting ready for their next match on Wednesday in the Camp Nou against Valencia in the first leg of the semi-finals of the King’s Cup. Touré Yaya, FC Barcelona’s Ivory Coast player, didn’t take part in the session as he has a sore back, and he stayed behind in the dressing room to receive treatment.

Training began with the usual warm-up exercises. Afterwards the squad split into two groups. Seven of the starting XI from Sundays’ game – Puyol, Xavi, Messi, Milito, Zambrotta, Ronaldinho and Sylvinho – did some running with the team’s fitness coach, while the rest of the players worked on passing.

Recovery circuit

Next up for the seven who had been running was a gentle recovery circuit, followed by some ball skills work in a relaxed atmosphere before returning to the dressing room one by one. Two of the players in the other group, Eto'o and Iniesta, also did a circuit before leaving the pitch as well.

Practice match

While goalkeepers Valdés and Pinto worked with goalkeeping coach Juan Carlos Unzué, the rest of the players did circuit training with and without a ball. The session ended with a practice match on a small pitch. Orange bibs were worn by Henry, Edmílson, Deco, fitness coach Albert Roca and Pinto. Gudjohnsen, Abidal, Thuram, Giovani and Valdés played without bibs.