Most of the work that decides a match happens days before it. Training grounds have become laboratories, where small details are tested and repeated until they are habit.
Set pieces are the clearest example. Specialist coaches now design routines for corners, free kicks and even throw-ins, and the returns show up in the goals column.
The individual plan
Each player has a programme of their own. Sleep, nutrition and workload are tracked, and video clips are sent to a phone within hours of the final whistle.
None of it guarantees a win. It does tilt the odds a little, and at this level a little is usually enough.
