Sheffield Wednesday coach Joao Cunha has underlined the benefits of the squad’s five-day training camp in Portugal.
The trip across Europe has incorporated primarily warm weather training that Cunha insists will serve as a sound platform for the season ahead.
He told swfc.co.uk: “The climate is excellent for the fitness levels of the players. We work them hard and give them recovery time, which is just as important as the training itself.
“When the weather is like this, it leads to everyone feeling good and good spirits.
“We have a lot of new players too so a pre-season trip such as this is the perfect way for everyone to get to know each other.
“The exercises have complemented the games and we will finish off on Sunday with a recovery session in the pool.
“We travel back to England on Monday and resume our normal training schedule at home as we build up for the start of the season.”