Global Fútbol

With many European residents housebound while the world tackles the COVID-19 outbreak, LaLiga clubs and players are taking a creative approach to keeping fit while at the same time engaging fans. 

As footballers are unable to visit their clubs’ training bases and facilities, exercise is being done at home. To help maintain everyday fitness and also provide entertainment, several clubs and players have invited their followers to experience their improvised training sessions with them. 

Leganés fitness coach Pol Lorente streams his workouts
Pol Lorente, fitness coach of Madrid side Leganés has become one of the most high-profile figures at the club in recent days, having designed online training sessions for the players every day at 11:00. The club is extending the benefits to a global audience by making the sessions available for anyone to join.

It’s possible to follow these workouts via Twitch, while Leganés is also uploading videos to the club YouTube channel for those who can’t watch Lorente’s sessions live. 

In these videos, Lorente explains the equipment that will be needed for each session and how viewers can use regular household items to assist with their workout. He also outlines how to stretch before and after the exercises in order to avoid injuries.

The club is also encouraging viewers to upload videos of the workouts they have completed along with Lorente, with a draw to be held in order to award prizes for those who do so. 

FC Barcelona: Cules at home
FC Barcelona has begun its own video series, #CulesAtHome detailing the activities of its players and staff during self-isolation. “Following the recommendations of the medical staff at the club, Barça suspended all activities on Friday except for the Barça eSports team, so we’re staying at home,” read a statement from the club.

In the video, footage of goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen working out in his garden is interspersed with instructional and inspirational messages from director Patrick Kluivert, from women’s team captain Vicky Losada and from Barça B players Ferrán Sarsanedas and Jorge Cuenca.

There are also clips from Arturo Vidal and Jordi Alba, showing the ways the club is still enjoying sports from their residences during this time. 

Las Palmas’ motivational montage
LaLiga SmartBank side Las Palmas released a video showing several of the club’s players working out from home. From push-ups to squats to sprints to running on the spot, the island club’s players provide a range of ideas for viewers looking to maintain fitness while indoors. 

Players share their individual workouts
In addition to the videos coming from the clubs, several LaLiga players have been posting videos of their fitness programmes from their own personal accounts. Atlético Madrid’s Marcos Llorente, Sevilla’s Óliver Torres and Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos are just a few of those to have done so.
Each of these players has repeated the calls to stay at home, along with other words of encouragement.

As Llorente put it: “All we have is time, so let’s make the most of it.”