Why Sheffield Wednesday are in one of the most important stages of their season

Altogether, a 23-man squad has made the trip to the camp, including a couple of the younger players and as usual it is seen as a way of not just getting the players up to speed fitness-wise but building morale.

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Seven fresh faces have been added to the Owls squad so far this summer and the journey to Portugal provides them with the opportunity to settle in alongside their new team mates.

Owls assistant boss Jamie Smith says the trip is as important off the pitch as it is on it, with just three weeks to go until the League One season kicks off again.

“There'll be team building. It's a really good chance for the lads to be together 24/7 for the six days. It gives them a chance to get together in a football sense but also to bond together. There'll be a lot of work out on the training pitch as well.

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"We've mapped out each session what we'll be doing, that was done in the early part of pre-season, the whole of the time we've had. There'll be a mixture of fitness and ball work as it has been all pre-season so far.

"The time away is important, they're together in that time, eating together - breakfast, lunch, dinner. They'll be partnered in rooms. When they're training together here they're eating together for a couple of hours at a time and then they're off, but the time they spend together on the evenings and so on, it'll be so important they come together and gel.

"There are 23 players going, a couple of the young lads. Jay, Ryan and Pierce the keeper.”

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The Owls are scheduled to take on Bournemouth on Friday at the end of the pre-season camp before returning to Sheffield the following day. The next chance Owls fans will get to see their team comes next Wednesday when Spanish side Rayo Vallecano head to Hillsborough.