Accustomed to playing in the afternoon or evening, Flamengo will play at 11 a.m. for the first time in the 2015 Brazilian Championship, next Sunday (August 16.08), against Palmeiras, in São Paulo. According to physiologist Cláudio Pavanelli and nutritionist Leonardo Acro, there's nothing to worry about. The different schedule will change small aspects of the squad's routine, but everything was planned and preparations began immediately after the victory over Atlético-PR.

The training schedule usually includes at least one morning activity, usually on Saturdays. After the 3-2 victory at Maracanã Stadium, all Thursday-Saturday activities at the George Helal Training Center took place at 10 a.m. Even so, Pavanelli states that, based on an analysis of the club's daily routine throughout the year, the squad is better prepared for morning matches than for those at 22 p.m.

"We're very used to training in the morning in our routine. If we analyze, our routine is much more geared towards morning training than adapted to games at 22 p.m. We don't have jobs close to this time of night. At least once a week, on Saturdays, we train in the morning. All the stressors, outside of the sport and the wear and tear of the game, such as weather and geographical distances, are part of our routine as a coaching staff, with the concern of scheduling and planning throughout the year and, frequently, reorganizing according to these changes, as in this specific case of a morning game. The entire staff behind the team is concerned with providing the best conditions for quick adaptations for better performance," he said.

Leonardo Acro, a key member of the staff cited by the physiologist, clarifies that the athletes' eating routine will undergo some changes. The biggest difference will be the pre-game meal. This time, breakfast will be served, not lunch or dinner. The diet will be primarily rich in carbohydrates and some protein, including whole-grain breads, cakes, smoothies, juices, fruit, granola, tapioca, cassava, sweet potatoes, boiled eggs, scrambled eggs (with reduced butter), and white cheeses.

For Saturday (August 15), the day before the match, some adaptations are also planned. As soon as the delegation arrives at the hotel in São Paulo, the athletes will have access to water, coconut water, juice, fruit, cookies, and some cream cheese for a small snack. Dinner will be served as usual at 7:00 PM, and supper will be served from 9:30 PM onwards. Supper is usually served around 10:30 PM, but the earlier meal is due to Sunday's match, so they can digest their food earlier and go to bed without feeling full. The following day, breakfast will be served from 7:45 AM to 8:30 AM. As usual, the locker room will have fruit, electrolyte supplements, coconut water, coffee, and some cookies. With the necessary measures and precautions in place, all that's left is for the ball to roll. However, when the referee blows the whistle to end the 90 minutes, the game continues. The club's nutritionist thanks you.

"The great benefit is that it ends at 1 p.m., giving us a whole Sunday to recover. Unlike a Wednesday game at 10 p.m., which ends around midnight. Until they've showered, taken a drug test, and talked in the locker room, the athlete gets home at 1 or 1:30 a.m. with their adrenaline pumping and takes a while to fall asleep. On Thursday, they have to wake up for training and, possibly, travel on Friday. For their recovery, playing at 11 a.m. is great. On the other hand, we live in a hot country, and in a state, specifically, that gets very hot. During the Carioca Championship, for example, it's summer, and this becomes unfeasible. During this time, the sun is blazing. The radiation is greater, and the exposure is more harmful. Even though it's winter, we already have high temperatures, I still see it as a good strategy for recovering the squad," he emphasized.