Athletic: Cones, piques and collejas

The Atletico Madrid closed this past Saturday, July 23, the two weeks of work in San Rafael, Sierra Segovia, where the mattress team completed the most important training part of the preseason. For the coaching staff of the mattress team, the 15 days in the ‘stage‘ are non-negotiable because this is where the physical, tactical and technical basis for the season comes from.

The coaching staff usually design a couple of more preparation peaks so that the peak of the players coincides with the decisive stretch of the season. But now, at this moment, what is done in San Rafael it’s key.

A lot of physical work, a lot of work with the ball and a lot of tactical work. But so that it does not become too heavy, the coaching staff of Simeoneespecially in the figure of the Professor Ortegaalways prepares a game in training that also has a practical function.

Horizontal — At.Madrid 2022/23 pre-season at Los Angeles de San Rafael in Segovia Evening training at the soccer field

José Antonio García Sirvent / Propias

It is what could be seen in one of the last training sessions of the team. In the middle of training, the physical trainer ordered a curious and fun game. Divided into four teams, they had to go out at speed to place a cone on a spike, so that it would not fall to quickly go out in the opposite direction for a ball, make a wall with a box and turn as quickly as possible to put the ball in goalposts.

The exercise delighted the players because it gave rise to many things. The problems of Witsel o Lino to place the cone on the pike, the ‘sprints’ between partners, the slips, the laments and the comments of the teacher -“The team of Kondogbia it is suspicious, it does not take any point…”-.

Only the one who did everything correctly, in the fastest way and scoring, added a point. The teams saved each other until the final was left to see the loser, which was decided in a final duel between Carrasco y Riquelmewho opted for the Belgian.

to the team of Beautiful, Lemar, Kondogbia, Morata, Riquelme y Manu Sánchez they had to go through the collejas corridor of the companions before the laughter of almost everyone. good atmosphere in the Atlético.