Five hours in the wet for Thursday training

A thunderclap just before 9pm was the wake-up call for the Ciudad Deportiva, signalling the start of persistent rainfall as the players and coaching staff continued the individual training plans established for the week.

The rain would not cease throughout the 5 hours of activity at the training ground, but the squad remained pleased to be able to get back into a routine and to have the ball at their feet.

The sessions were split into an opening segment of fitness work on each, followed by a series of skills exercises.

The routines have been implemented since last Saturday, and the protocols have now become familiar to the squad. They arrive, work individually on one of the three pitches, and then make way for one of their teammates.

Friday is expected to be a dry day, with showers returning on Saturday.