After a very tough strengthening session held in the morning under the watchful eye of Paolo Artico, Igor Tudor took over the reins in the evening training. PAOK players worked in full intensity for more than 90 minutes, their pulse and pace hitting the charts. The coaching staff would repeat their motto: “When the going gets tough, we don’t give up”.

The menu consisted of warm-up drills with ball and circulation games in reduced space with the PAOK coach ordering instructions about the way he wants his players to move. There were also possession drills in small spaces under continuous pressing.

The last stretch of the session focused on physical condition and endurance with intervals and lots of jogging. “I know no team that can run a lot on Sunday unless they have run a lot during midweek training. There is no such thing as magic”, Igor Tudor told his players.

Through small details even in the daily routine of the team, the Croatian coach tries to implement his philosophy. It is all about the team being above every individual.

After the highly intensive sessions of Friday, PAOK will return to the training grounds on Saturday at 10.00 (local time). At 18.00 they are scheduled to play their first friendly encounter of the season, coming up against Koot Azur, a team consisting of free agents from the Dutch and Belgian league.