This is how Barça works during the break so that there are no competitive inequalities

BarcelonaBarça has faced this first international break, of more than two weeks (16 days) and with up to 17 players called up –now there are 15, with the return of Eric and Raphinha– by their countries, with "constant and fluid" communication. This is done between departments and, especially, with the Spanish national team, which has the largest number of blaugranes, and with "specific plans for each footballer who has not traveled with the national teams," they explain to ARA from the Ciutat Esportiva.

This means that the player preparation and recovery areas, as well as the medical and –no less important– nutrition services, have been in contact with the federations that have blaugrana footballers so that they "maintain as much as possible" the same guidelines. In this sense, for example, it is communicated which diet plan and which supplements the players consume at Barça so that there is coherence and a similar line is followed with the international teams.

Regarding those who have not been called up, a specific plan has been developed for each one, both for exercise and nutrition, so that they maintain their fitness despite not being in competitive rhythm. Furthermore, it is used as an opportunity for them to focus on working on any kind of physical discomfort they may have and to recover from it –"compensating", in internal terms–. Also, from September 28th to October 4th, they have an entire week of rest.

Communication, individualized guidelines and rest

The club has given individualized guidelines to each player, and those who have not traveled far from Barcelona have the doors of the Ciutat Esportiva (and its professionals) open to continue exercising in Sant Joan Despí. Before these days of vacation, the lack of personnel was such that Hansi Flick joined training sessions with Juliano Belletti's reserve team. Physical preparation is one of the key lines for the German coach, who considers that they still have a lot of room for improvement despite the exuberance that the team has shown at the beginning of the season. The week of vacation that Flick has given to the footballers who have not traveled with their national teams provides a small physical and mental respite in the face of such demanding and tight competitive calendars.

Jordi Verdaguer and Marc Huguet, physical trainers consulted by ARA, agree that it is positive. "Long breaks are never scheduled without a reason or without being tied to some goal. Rest is an important part of training, and even more so nowadays. With the competitive density that exists, a few days of rest help to reduce physical and, above all, mental fatigue," explains Verdaguer. "In seven days, no type of loss is accentuated. Perhaps you lose a little of the competitive feeling, but it is recovered quickly," adds the specialist in sports science. "Many coaches prioritize rest, after the calendar that many teams have had, especially those that play in European competitions. Furthermore, after the break there is an infernal calendar," agrees Huguet, with a past in the Barça youth team.

Verdaguer states that there will be some obvious differences between the footballers who have played with their national teams and those who have not: some have accumulated matches, travel, and stress, and have had less time to recover, while the others will arrive fresher, but with less competitive stimulus. "Just because they have days off does not mean they are not working, of course. It is also about taking a little more care of those coming from the national teams: freeing them from load and adapting their sessions," summarizes Verdaguer, who works with both footballers and tennis players. "No matter how many friendlies or training matches you play, you will never achieve the levels you can have in an official competition, but we are talking about two or three weeks, and that is already planned by the staff," explains Huguet.

Although this longer break may generate some differences, Verdaguer believes that for the footballers who have stayed in Barcelona, this break is key for "rest" and "a good window for players who have had less playing time to reach the level of those who have been more prominent." He also considers that there is a competitive nuance: those who have stayed will now have the opportunity to demonstrate their fitness and compete for a spot against a teammate in the starting eleven. And he adds: "Days off are not the problem, but what you do with them. Most players work with external professionals, following guidelines. Surely they have not lost much rhythm," he concludes. Huguet, who is also a football coach, expresses himself in the same vein: "Most elite players already have a private staff member: a nutritionist, a physical trainer, a psychologist, or a coach personal. It will be a mental matter of disconnecting and knowing how to reconnect with the competition."