July 10, Sunday, was a holiday, but for Ancelotti and his team, it marked the beginning of a busy season.
According to Real Madrid's plans, the team would gather on the morning of the 11th, then head together to the airport and fly to Los Angeles, USA, for training camp. They would play three warm-up matches in the United States before returning to Europe and then traveling on to Asia.
During their time in the United States, Real Madrid would hold a two-week preseason training camp. Aside from the Brazilian and Argentine internationals participating in the Copa América, all the other internationals would take part. It would be the best opportunity for new Head Coach Ancelotti to familiarize himself with the team.
Real Madrid was a club with an extremely mature and stable internal structure. Once the plans had been finalized, staff from the various departments would naturally follow up and coordinate everything, including hotels, training grounds, warm-up opponents, and so on.
Ancelotti and his team only needed to worry about one thing: training and matches.
They would depart on the 11th, so on the morning of the 10th, Ancelotti's team officially began work.
After careful selection, Ancelotti's coaching team for the new season would consist of seventeen people, somewhat more than Benitez's previous staff. The main additions were three fitness coaches and two nutritionists, along with an extra team doctor.
Joaquin Mas had studied medical and surgical care at the University of Valencia in Spain before earning a degree as a specialist in sports medicine and physical-function education at the University of Barcelona. He had begun working for Levante as a team doctor in 2006 and moved to Valencia in 2008. What Ancelotti valued most about him was his expertise in medical rehabilitation.
The Italian had originally hoped to