French media RMC revealed how Paris Saint-Germain deals with heat and muscle fatigue in Atlanta.
Paris Saint-Germain continues to prepare for the Club World Cup quarterfinals with Miami International in Atlanta, with Paris players experiencing the local sultry weather and the fatigue accumulated over the past few months. The park in Atlanta is almost empty. "The temperature here is between 35 and 38 degrees Celsius and the humidity is about 75%. Paris players will play at noon Sunday, and the temperature will definitely be the same. It's really difficult. I'm sweating all over here if I don't move." said a fan.
The two days of snowfall in December last year have long been forgotten, and Atlanta has been shrouded in sultry weather for nearly two weeks. This temperature is not common in Georgia. Many large fans were temporarily placed in the airport terminal, and taxis, hotels and local restaurants all turned on the air conditioner to the maximum. Sometimes it reminds people of the last Qatar World Cup.
ice baths and strictly monitored hydration
Paris Saint-Germain has become accustomed to this extreme game condition, especially after the experience in Los Angeles. Despite this, the team still needs to readjust the training plan.
Every day at 11 a.m. local time, the team will train at the stadium in northern Atlanta. Whether it is the bus to the training ground or the locker room, there are air conditioning everywhere.
Before the start of training, the staff had prepared two huge ice baths and kept a close eye on the team's moisture replenishment every day.
"Replenishing water is very important. I think Miami is a weak team compared to Paris, but they may be more physically active, which is the only factor that may plague Paris. After three games, the players must be very tired, so playing time management and emotional adjustment are also very important." A Paris Saint-Germain fan living in Atlanta said.
Party players no longer hide their fatigue before the upcoming quarterfinals. "We do feel tired, but our logistics support is of high quality," said Joao Neves.
"We are very, very tired, we play a lot of games, and that's the truth. It's important to recover, train and eat well," Donarumma added.
In addition to monitoring the moisture replenishment of the entire team, Paris Saint-Germain staff also closely monitors the game time of each player through GPS data.
"I often communicate with my physical coaches, physiotherapists and nutritionists to ensure a good diet and sleep. Then I can recover quickly, which is a gift from God," Ashraf said with a smile. The high temperatures in Atlanta may last until Sunday's game. The good news is that Mercedes-Benz Stadium has a roof that can be closed and air conditioned to keep the interior of the stadium at a constant temperature of 20 degrees. The two clubs and FIFA have agreed to take these measures. There is no doubt that this will greatly alleviate the discomfort of both players.