I'm Here to Win!

Escaping Madrid's heat was a good thing for Real Madrid's players, who had just begun training camp.

After arriving in pleasant Dublin, where the daytime temperature hovered around fifteen degrees Celsius, everyone felt cool and comfortable. They began looking forward to a wonderful Irish vacation.

Maynooth was a quiet little town, but its residents were enthusiastic about Real Madrid's arrival, especially about Yang Yang.

On the day the team arrived in Maynooth, it felt as though the entire town had come out to see the stars. Even the local police station deployed all its officers to maintain order, making everyone at Real Madrid feel proud.

But just when everyone was in high spirits, Benitez ruthlessly shattered all those pleasant feelings.

Three training sessions a day—it was practically demonic!

After spending three days adjusting in Madrid, Benitez established a devilish summer training program as soon as they reached Maynooth.

They had to get up at precisely 6:45 a.m. and eat breakfast together at 7:15. At eight, they began stretching exercises in the gym and swimming pool, followed by a short break. At eleven, they began fitness training.

Lunch was at 1:30 p.m., after which they could take a two-hour nap. The third training session began at 6:30 p.m., focusing mainly on ball control and tactical drills. Even the injured players and those like Robben and Kaka who were training under Winston Bogarde received somewhat different treatment, but the intensity remained considerable.

As Benitez put it, high-intensity training was not merely for building up fitness reserves over the summer. It also trained the players' willpower, allowing the team to improve through the devilish sessions and unleash more of its potential.

"I think Real Madrid's players have been pampered for too many years. So for the next while, every one of you should