Schuster's Real Madrid opens the starting gate with a light physical workout
There were lots of new faces on the first day back to work, but they were all filled with the excitement of getting the season underway. A total of 24 footballers met at Real Madrid City for a light physical workout one day before departing to Austria for the 2007/08 preseason.
The holiday is over and Real Madrid, the reigning champions of the League, got the 2007/08 season rolling this evening. Members of manager Bernd Schuster's new project began showing up at about 7 pm CET. The players greeted each other with hugs and handshakes having not seen one another for a month, but shortly after the new coaching staff held a light workout before the team hits the road to Austria tomorrow for preseason training.
The new boss gathered his men shortly after 8 pm. Schuster was the first to step onto the pitch of fields 1 and 2 at Valdebebas. Following in his footsteps was the rest of the coaching staff, including new fitness trainer Jordi García, assistant coach Manuel Ruíz, and the new director of Real Madrid TEC High Performace Centre, Walter di Salvo. Next were the players, with a few new faces in the crowd. A group of 24 footballers who carefully listened to the new coach's first joint group talk on the pitch.
The 24 footballers who participated in this first workout included: Raúl, Casillas, Guti, Míchel Salgado, Higuaín, Cassano, De la Red, Dudek, Soldado, Sergio Ramos, Diarra, Balboa, Torres, Van Nistelrooy, Saviola, Emerson, Adrián, Codina, Bueno, Granero, Metzelder, Pepe, Cicinho, and Cannavaro.
Training began with some light running, while Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Miguel Torres joined recovery expert José Luis San Martín. The majority of the squad worked with fitness experts Jordi García and Santiago Lozano, who had the players stretch and then do some light jogging. It's time to get the blood flowing again and back into physical form. The slalom poles and cones meant one thing: light obstacle course drills.
Many new faces, but one common dream
Not present were Robinho, Gago, Marcelo, and Baptista, whose absences were excused by the Club. You could tell the recent arrivals were excited training with their new teammates for the first time at Valdebebas. Although the new signings have spent the last week working out at the Madridista facility, today was still a special day for Metzelder, Pepe, Dudek, and Saviola. The same can be said for the youth teamers who extended their contracts and are now members of the First Team: Adrián González, Jordi Codina, Rubén De la Red, Alberto Bueno, and Esteban Granero. Two other young Madridistas, Javier Balboa and Roberto Soldado, also looked happy to be home.
Training resumes tomorrow at 10:30 am at Valdebebas before flying to Austria to kick off Real Madrid's 2007/08 preseason.
NEXT TRAINING SESSION: Sunday 22 July @ 10 am.
