Adelaide United midfielder Diego says the club’s gruelling week of training will put it in good stead for five games in 16 days during September.
The Reds started the week with a game of paintball but have become more serious about their upcoming football combat, staging two training sessions per day since Tuesday. The team will take the weekend off before preparing for the game against Melbourne Victory on September 12.
Diego, who has spent the past month on the sidelines with a hamstring strain, admitted the past few days had been a challenge.
“The boys are pulling up pretty sore, today I felt really bad, I wanted to pull out but I got through it, it’s been really intense,” he said.
“Especially for myself, Cassio and the boys that haven’t been playing it’s extra fitness, it’s extra work. By the time we get home we just want to crash.”
Adelaide’s upcoming schedule, which includes home and away AFC quarter final clashes against the Kashima Antlers, will challenge the players on a variety of levels.
Diego expects it to be tough but admitted he’d faced a similar workload during his time playing for Miami FC, Kansas City and Columbus Crew in the USL.
“I’ve had that experience before. But again I haven’t played in the past month so I have to be real careful,” he said.
The 28-year-old Brazilian said looking after his body was the key to getting through a number of games in quick succession.
“It’s the recovery, you get through one game and maybe get in the ice baths, eat plenty, sleep plenty and I think we are taking a couple of masseuses with us and get a lot of rubs,” he said.
“I think there will be pressure on all of us. It will be an extremely difficult game, especially away, where we are going to put up against a very good opposition.”
Apart from the physical demands of playing and travelling, Diego said it was important to remain in good spirits. The midfielder admitted a weekend away from his team-mates would be a ‘good idea’ heading into the coming weeks.
“It’s going to be quite intense with the likes of Angelo (Costanzo) and Sasa (Ognenovski) living with you 24 hours a day,” he said jokingly.
“It gets pretty annoying at times but we will get through it.”
