‘Like Motorcycles’: FC Barcelona Players In Impeccable Shape For La Liga Return
by Tom Sanderson
The last time they kicked a competitive ball was on March 7, when a controversial 1-0 win over Real Sociedad at the Camp Nou took them back to the top of La Liga. Six days later, all club activity was then suspended as Spain headed into one of the world’s strictest lockdowns amid the coronavirus pandemic.
But now they are back in training, more than two months later, FC Barcelona’s players are said to have impressed their coach Quique Setien and his staff with the impeccable shape they find themselves in ahead of domestic soccer’s probable resumption in just over a fortnight.
This is what regional newspapers SPORT reports on Monday morning at least, with one piece headlined “They are like motorcycles” providing details on where the Blaugrana’s stars currrently stand in their preparation plans.
According to Toni Frieros, two players in particular have been impressive with Gerard Pique - once making no secret of his penchant for Nutella and sleeping late - returning much thinner than before, and captain Lionel Messi looking as sharp as ever.
Considering how exhausted they had become by March, which started with a gruelling 2-0 loss to bitter rivals Real Madrid in El Clasico preceded by a tough 1-1 last 16 road draw with Napoli in the Champions League, it is believed that the “abrupt two-month hiatus has come in handy” for Barca and their staff.
Batteries have been recharged, with Setien apparently admitting to president Josep Bartomeu and his inner circle that he sees his players “trained to win La Liga” and fit to “fight to the end” for Europe’s mentioned elite tournament, which is tipped for an August relaunch. “All Barcelona fans are eager to conquer [the Champions League] again”, Frieros adds.
As there are no friendly matches scheduled, nor much time to contest them, Barca will be immediately thrown back into the deep end in their quest to rule Spain and the continent, with their first post-pause fixture to take place against Mallorca away from home.
Furthermore, the returns from injury of Luis Suarez and Ousmane Demebele provide, in essence, two new signings for Setien, who is yet to command either since taking over the reins from the fired Ernesto Valverde in January.