Barcelona chef prepares energising pre-Clásico buffet
Chef Adrià Ponce, in collaboration with the club's nutricionist and the kitchen team at the Princesa Sofía Hotel, has prepared a meal which is rich in protein.
For Barcelona staff, it's good news that the team will be convening a few hours ahead of tonight's Clásico. And while the reasons behind that are unrelated to sport, some employees have benefitted - for example nutricionist Toña Lizárraga and first team chef Adrià Ponce, who have been busier than normal. The Barça squad will meet at 12:30 hours at the Princesa Sofía Hotel and have lunch together an hour later. Every part of the meal will be strictly controlled.
High protein, carbs and fruit for El Clásico
For home games, Barcelona players usually make their own way to the stadium so it is entirely up to them to make sure they eat well and properly before a match. Today though, everything will be prepared for them by Toña Lizárraga and Adrià Ponce. The club has prepared a free buffet in which all of the dishes are designed to give the players the energy they will need tonight and provide muscle proteins. Three different types of rice will be available, a large range of salads and pasta as an alternative option. For the main meal, meat (sirloin steak, hamburger and fillet steak) or white fish such as hake, sole, monkfish. And to cater for those with other tastes - sushi, a favourite within the Barça dressing room. For dessert, fruit and yogurt is the order of the day.
Two hours before kick-off, the players will drink fruit and vegetable shakes to build up their calorific intake to give the energy they will need during the match. And just before they take to the pitch, some players - and Leo Messi is one of them, will tuck into a special, high energy biscuit to help the metabolism ahead of the huge physical effort they will make for the next hour and a half.