FCBARCELONA.CAT

28.02.2008 13:15

Recovery time

Sandra Sarmiento / Jordi Clos

After a tiring game against Valencia, the first team returned to training on Thursday morning. The session was a warm down after the cup tie, but the players also have to start thinking about the league game away to Atlético Madrid.

The cup kept the players busy this week, but there is little time for rest with a trip to the Calderón on Saturday. La Masía was the venue as the squad started working on making sure they can go to Madrid in the best possible shape. Bojan and the players that started against Valencia did less strenuous activities today than the rest of the team.

Messi and Deco work aside

After the usual drills, the players were divided into two groups, although Messi and Deco stayed in the gym to work on minor physical problems that are unlikely to affect their availability for Saturday. The injured Márquez, Oleguer (in the Camp Nou with a fitness coach) and Ezquerro carried on with their specific programmes.

Intense work for non-starters

The players that started on Wednesday night soon left for the dressing rooms, but Giovani, Iniesta, Edmílson, Thuram, Ronaldinho, Gudjohnsen and Sylvinho stayed on to practise moves and shooting, with goalkeeping duties served by Pinto and the reserve team’s Daniel Planchería.

They than played a short game on a downsized pitch. One team featured Edmílson, Sylvinho, Gudjohnsen, Ronaldinho and Planchería, who took on Iniesta, Giovani, Thuram, fitness coach Albert Roca and Pinto. Both sides scored hatfuls of goals.