This year, Madrid's temperatures were somewhat unusual, with a considerable difference between day and night.
The daytime high stayed below ten degrees, while at night it could drop close to zero. At least half of the month had been rainy, and such weather was miserable for anyone, especially players with unusually sensitive bodies.
Real Madrid's coaching staff had also put considerable effort into this. From warm-ups and training exercises to their daily diet and physical protection, they did everything possible to provide the players with better and more complete care, because they were all young men in their twenties.
This was the best period of their lives in terms of physical condition, so most of them had no concept of taking care of their bodies at all. Naturally, they were also brimming with confidence in their physical abilities.
For example, in the middle of winter, some players would walk out of the locker room shirtless, while others would strip off their training clothes immediately after practice. These actions clearly violated the rules, and the coaching staff would admonish them.
Barcelona's excessive injury problems had also sounded the alarm for Real Madrid.
This was a rare opportunity, and Ancelotti did not want his team to follow in Barcelona's footsteps.
Yang Yang was probably the player Real Madrid needed to worry about the least, because he was disciplined enough and always knew how to take care of himself.
In Ancelotti's words, he was a model player who was beyond reproach both on and off the pitch.
Every morning, Yang Yang arrived at Valdebebas earlier than all the other players. Sometimes, he even arrived before the coaching staff. The staff and training-ground employees had long since grown accustomed to this.
Whenever they ran into Yang Yang, they would greet him politely.
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