Anecdotes from the first day back of Barca training
It's a busy day at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. FC Barcelona players underwent their traditional medical check-ups and physical tests early on Monday morning to begin the 2023-24 pre-season. Fourteen first-team players and nine youth players came to the club's facilities to start preparing for a season in which Xavi Hernández will demand maximum competitiveness from them at national and continental level.
The main anecdote of the morning was Pau Prim. The very young pivot (17 years old) arrived at Sant Joan Despí by car, accompanied by his mother, and had to identify himself to the club's security staff in order to gain access to the Ciutat Esportiva. Mikayil Faye, Pau Cubarsí and Marc Guiu, who arrived on foot, also had to do so. Even Inigo Martínez, who arrived by taxi and attracted the attention of the fans, had to stop at the entrance to be verified.
Footballers such as Ronald Araujo, Pedri, Raphinha and Eric Garcia, on the other hand, only had to slow down slightly to enter the facilities. Their faces and cars are more than familiar to the club's security and their entry was much quicker. Once everyone was inside, before 9am, Barcelona's medical services began the check-ups.
Around half an hour later, Jaume Roures appeared at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. The founder and president of Mediapro has been seen in Sant Joan Despí in the middle of the debate about the Orpheus Media payments and the speculation about the club's potential asset listing on Wall Street.
