YOU can only hope Eberechi Eze and his England team-mates were not expecting an easy few days in Spain after an exhausting season.
Although it is only Andorra in a World Cup qualifier in Barcelona on Saturday, Thomas Tuchel put his players through an unusual but excruciating end-of-season fitness test as he prepares for baking-hot temperatures at next year’s World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Although the weather was 26C here in Girona yesterday, it was far hotter inside the tent where Tuchel made his players take on a strength-sapping bike exercise.
And it came after they had swallowed a biometric tablet to allow the FA medics to get an accurate reading of how the players deal with extreme stress.
For Eze, his partying after winning the FA Cup final with Crystal Palace must have seemed like a long time ago.
The Eagles forward, 26, said: “After taking those tablets, you had to be on the bike for about 45 minutes and just had to keep going.
“They monitored your heart rate and they monitored your actual body temperature.
“It was quite difficult to do and 45 minutes is a long time on a bike.
“But it was something that was definitely helpful and it gave a bit of insight into myself and how I cope with those situations, which was interesting.
“It was the first time for me doing something like this.”
Chelsea forward Cole Palmer, 23, added: “It was tough. It was 36C inside the tents and we had to get to a certain watts or something on a bike and maintain it.”
Ivan Toney knows all about heat as he plays in Saudi Arabia for Al-Ahli.
The striker, 29, said: “You can’t blast out running crazy for 90-plus minutes.
“It has to be tactical when you make the runs and these kind of things change your game a bit — but it is good.
“It’s different but I’m getting used to it now.
“You have to change your game a little bit and maybe you have to sit back for a bit or keep the ball for a bit.”
The team have certainly enjoyed themselves at this luxury golf resort outside Girona since they arrived, after watching the F1 in Barcelona on Sunday.
The Camiral Golf and Wellness Centre is set to stage the Ryder Cup in 2031.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was playing golf here at an event with Gianfranco Zola a few days ago, while the football centre used to be Girona’s training ground and Brighton and City have stayed here in pre-season.
England will remain on site until tomorrow afternoon before heading to Barcelona to prepare for the match at Espanyol’s stadium.
Tuchel’s team then play Senegal in a friendly at the City Ground in Nottingham on Tuesday.
Palace star Eze is certainly enjoying life with England. Scoring his first goal, on his tenth appearance in the 3-0 win over Latvia in March, was clearly a big deal.
It’s only when you speak to fans and you see what it means to them . . . that’s when you really understand how amazing it is.
Eberechi Eze on FA Cup glory
He said: “Yes, a special moment for me. I scored my first goal and that brought more confidence.
“I’d say it followed throughout the rest of the season, which was good for me and for Palace.”
When you mention that historic Cup final win for Palace against Manchester City, Eze just cannot stop smiling.
He said: “For me, the most special thing is when you speak to fans and you see the fans’ faces and you get to understand what it truly means to them.
“Of course, winning as a player is important — and being part of the first team to do it for Palace is definitely special.
“But it’s only when you speak to fans and you see what it means to them . . . that’s when you really understand how amazing it is.”
Yet will he still be at Palace next season? Spurs are one of several clubs interested in him.
Asked if he is thinking about his future, Eze gave little away.
He said: “At the moment, not so much.
“I feel like I’m here on camp with England and I’m trying to work here on camp with England.
“Those things will take care of themselves.”
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