After arriving in Tehran, we had lunch at the hotel, and with hardly any rest, we moved to Persepolis's clubhouse for practice. In the chilly, winter-like air, the players, showing no signs of fatigue from the long journey, broke a sweat during practice.
The training menu included pass and control drills, possession training, and mini-games. Finally, the defenders and attackers split up, with the defenders practicing long balls and the attackers, under Coach Kurosaki, working on shooting drills.
Even with a police escort for the players' bus, the traffic in Iran was severe, and it took a considerable amount of time to return to the hotel. Therefore, upon arriving at the hotel, the players went straight to the dining hall. There, Chef Nishi's prepared steaks and pasta were lined up. With Chef Nishi also bringing natto, kimchi, and furikake, the players enjoyed meals that were no different from what they would have in Japan.
