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As a part of their pre-season training and conditioning, the Rajesh Wadhawan Group and Hrithik Roshan co-owned Indian Super League team FC Pune City commenced their preparations for the 2016 season at Vincci Valdecanas in Madrid, Spain under the watchful eyes of new head coach Antonio Habas.
Vincci Valdecanas is an exclusive complex designed for corporate events, sport, leisure and family in a protected environment. With an area of 133 hectares, it is a unique sports-cum-leisure complex in Europe, which is just one and a half hours away from Madrid. It hosts houses, an 18-hole golf course, 2 football fields, water sports, swimming pools, horse riding, an artificial beach, hiking routes and a fully equipped sports centre.
“This is the team’s time to lay down solid fitness foundations for the intensive season ahead. The entire squad along with the support staff will be there for 31 days to ensure everyone is in shape. Each player is different; therefore they will get customized training plans and diets that help them to be ready before the season starts. Its also an opportunity for all players, Indians and foreigners to establish relationships and build understanding that will help everyone understand their roles and responsibilities better,” explained FCPC CEO Gaurav Modwel.
This is the phase two of FC Pune City’s pre season training plans. In the first phase, a preseason medical and fitness test was conducted in Mumbai and Delhi for the Indian players. In Valdecanas, the entire squad, including the foreign signings, will assemble with Habas at the helm of the affairs.
Head coach Habas emphasised the importance of this pre-season. “The pre-season is a great opportunity to work closely with the players. We will spend time ironing out any niggles, work on players’ weaknesses and educate them about their bodies. Building match-winning fitness is the prime objective of our pre-season – without it our tactics, team spirit and technical skill will all be redundant,” said Habas.
Co-owner and Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan said, “Pre-season training is a time when individuals come together and gel as a team, to unify in thought, desire and approach towards the upcoming season. I am sure the coach and the players will train their hardest and come back fit and ready for the challenge.”
The squad will train in Valdecanas until September 11, 2016. Post that, the team will be back in Pune for the final phase of training before their ISL-3 campaign starts for the club.
