Sheffield United already looking towards next pre-season after successful Portugal trip

Described as "possibly the coolest sporting complex on the planet" when it opened six years ago, the Cidade do Futebol has been United's training base for almost a week before Paul Heckingbottom, his staff and players flew home from Lisbon yesterday.

Its perfectly-manicured training pitches formed the perfect surfaces for Heckingbottom and Co. to impress their methods upon players both old and new, with Tommy Doyle and Anel Ahmedhodžić both experiencing their first taste of life with the Blades.

But equally as important, in the eyes of those who know what they are talking about, are the recovery facilities, with cryotherapy chambers, saunas and ice-baths on hand for the Blades players to use between their tough sessions on the grass.

Although there was no alcohol on site, the players were given downtime to relax when they weren't being worked. Ben Osborn's status as the most intelligent player in the Blades squad - bestowed upon him by former Callum Robinson, because he had once seen the midfielder reading a book - was enhanced by his team's performance in the quiz, while the contrasting performances of senior players when United were taken to an 'escape room' facility earlier in the week was the source of much debate in the common room before dinner.

Competitiveness also ran high on the pool table and the golf course, while United flew out two dedicated chefs to make sure their players' every dietary need was catered for. As a result the food offering - both in variety and quality - was outstanding, with a number of the club's young players in particular looking delighted to hear there was ice cream on offer after a barbeque dinner on Thursday evening.

No stone was left unturned and after the disjointed nature of the last two pre-season campaigns - affected by weather, Covid-19 and all sorts of logistical issues - this will have been a welcome return to some sort of normality for United's staff and players, who kick off their regular Championship season on August 1 away at recently-relegated Watford.

"It's been great, fantastic. We've loved it," boss Heckingbottom told The Star.

"The facilities are brilliant, and it's exactly what we wanted. It's a pure performance centre.

"The lads are here to train, and the pitches are first class. We've got all the facilities we want to rest and recover.

"It's enabled us to do four sessions a day but also get that rest in and that togetherness, too. There are lots of activities we can do with the team. So we're really pleased. And it'll be a good one to come to next year as well."

"We've had some tired bodies but we've kept it busy and active," Heckingbottom, whose side kick off their domestic pre-season schedule in a behind-closed-doors game against Lincoln City on Tuesday, added.

"We wanted to get the most out of it."