FCBARCELONA.CAT

18.07.2007 20:15

Touré Yaya first to train

Sandra Sarmiento/Vanessa Forns

Although the FC Barcelona squad is not due back until Saturday, one of the new signings, Touré Yaya, trained on Wednesday at La Masía.

The Ivorian midfielder arrived at the club at ten o’clock, and to show how keen he is to be in the right shape when the pre-season gets under way, he worked out both on the pitch at La Masia and then in the club gym. Touré Yaya also met one of the first team doctors, Ricard Pruna, and the manager of the Medical Service, Ramon Canal, who took the opportunity to examine his fitness and form after the summer break.

It was wonderful to see how enthusiastic Touré Yaya felt about pulling ion his shirt and getting down to work at La Masía. He was carefully monitored by Doctor Pruna and one of the club’s new members of staff, Josep Antoni Pozanco, a former player and also ex-fitness coach at FC Barcelona, who has joined the Medical Services after a period working at Elche.

La Masia and the gym

The player was on La Masia’s pitch for about three quarters of an hour, running, stretching and doing sit-ups. He completed the session indoors, and it was plain to see that the new signing is in excellent physical shape and ready to deliver the goods for his new team as soon as the matches start.