Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin confirmed he will use the time in Spain to work on his tactical blueprint for the new season.
The Dons are at a training camp in Costa Blanca and are based at the highly respected five star La Finca resort.
It is a complex that has been used by Barcelona, Newcastle United, Olympique Lyonnais and Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad in recent years.
The mercury is set to hit 30 degrees but Goodwin insists this is no holiday in the sun for his new-look squad.
Goodwin aims to work them hard in the heat with as much as daily triple sessions.
However he will also use the isolation of La Finca, a 20 minute drive from the nearest town, to work on tactics.
Goodwin and his coaching staff will use the intensive week to drill into the squad the style of football he will demand in the new season.
He said: “It is really important to have this week away in Spain.
“We will get privacy in Spain as we are at a good training resort.
“There will be plenty of time to work with players on different things.
“We are obviously working on their fitness but we will be paying real attention to the tactical side of the game as well.
“Where we will try to bed in some ideas of what we hope the team play like in the new season.”
‘It is not a holiday by any stretch’
Aberdeen arrived in Spain for the week long training camp on Monday.
New signings Anthony Stewart and Kelle Roos are with the squad at La Finca.
Recent signing Bojan Miovski is set to undergo his medical at the Spanish training camp today and will train with the squad for the rest of the week.
However North Macedonian international striker Miovski, a £535,000 signing from MTK Budapest, will not travel back to Scotland with the Dons.
That is because he is still waiting for his visa application to be processed.
New signing Ylber Ramadani is set to meet with the squad in Spain later this week.
The Albanian international midfielder, also signed from MTK Budapest for £100,000, has had his Visa processed.
He is now waiting to receive his passport back from the visa department so that he can meet up with the Dons.
Ramadani will fly back to Scotland with Dons and will be in contention to make his debut in a friendly at Brechin City next Wednesday.
The Reds stepped up their pre-season preparations with a 2-1 friendly defeat of Highland League Buckie Thistle.
This is Aberdeen’s first overseas pre-season training camp for three years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Goodwin said: “We had 10 days together in Aberdeen before the time in Spain.
“It is not a holiday by any stretch and I don’t think anyone would expect that.
“It is going to be very, very hard physical work for the boys whilst we are in Spain.
“However it is a change of scenery which at this particular time in pre-season is good.”
Players returned in ‘great shape’
Aberdeen boss Goodwin has already signed six players as part of his summer squad rebuild.
Goodwin is in talks with more players and hopes to push through deals for targets.
A week in Spain is an integral part of Goodwin’s plans for the season opener against Peterhead in the Premier Sports Cup on Sunday, July 10.
He said: “We have been back now for more than a week and the players are in great shape.
“That is always pleasing but in the modern day game that is expected.
“The lads are well educated on the importance of coming back in good shape so that we are not playing catch-up.
“Some of the boys who came in a little bit later are slightly behind.
“The friendly with Buckie Thistle was the first game of pre-season.
“You could see the rust in us was there, there’s no doubt about it.
“It was always about getting the fitness and getting the runs in.”
Two or three daily sessions on the grass
La Finca has also been used by 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia and reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions Senegal in recent years.
Aberdeen kick off their Premiership campaign with a trip to champions Celtic on Sunday July 31.
Goodwin hopes the time in Spain will help have his new look side firing on all cylinders for the start of the campaign.
And also ready to utilize his footballing philosophy after working on tactics in the searing heat on the Costa Blanca.
He said: “The lads can expect hard work in Spain.
“There will be plenty of running but there will also be plenty of football and technical work.
“We will also get the sun in Spain which is great.
“It allows us to have two or three sessions on the grass in the good sunshine which the boys will all enjoy.”
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