Milan are planning to steal a psychological march on their rivals with the introduction of a Mind Room.
The Mind Room is a private area to which Milan players will be able to repair in order to recover from the strain and the stress of their exertions during matches.
There will be enough space for eight players to fully stretch out on specially-designed ergonomic armchairs for 20 minutes and recover more quickly from the mental effort that kicking a ball around for 90 minutes demands.
As well as being able to put their feet up, Carlo Ancelotti’s men will watch relaxing images such as aeroplanes in flight and sailing boats adrift on the ocean.
But all is not as it seems at the San Siro. As the players describe what they see, club psychologists will monitor their psycho-physical functions, heartbeat and brainwaves via electrodes attached to their bodies in scenes alarmingly reminiscent of A Clockwork Orange.
Milan appear to be pulling out all the stops to try and get the best out of their players by introducing carefully thought out programmes and ideas to cover every imaginable discipline.
In 2002 the Rossoneri unveiled Milan Lab, an advanced scientific programme designed to optimise the physical condition of their players.
They are also currently working on a computer programme in America which monitors the movement of players on the field of play during training and football matches, in order for the club’s tacticians to better analyse the performance of their players.
With the physical and tactical side covered, Ancelotti is now aiming for his charges to show significant mental and psychological improvement.
Milan have shown a certain fragility in this department over the last two seasons. In 2004 they squandered a 4-1 lead from the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie with Deportivo La Coruna by losing the second leg 4-0.
Even worse was to follow last season when they lost in the Champions League Final against Liverpool after cruising to a 3-0 half-time lead in Istanbul.
The Mind Room is to be initially introduced only after matches but, if successful, will also be extended to players after they have finished their daily training.
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