Barnes: Good To Get Back To Work
- Leicester City's week in Abu Dhabi continues during the FIFA World Cup break
- Winger Harvey Barnes has taken stock on the training camp so far
- The Academy graduate says the temperature has provided the perfect challenge
- He also takes a look at City's return to domestic action later in December
Barnes, 24, has netted six goals for the Foxes this season, including four goals in his last six outings, ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. English football will restart just before Christmas, with City heading to Stadium MK to take on Sky Bet League 1 outfit MK Dons, on Tuesday 20 December.
In the meantime, the members of Brendan Rodgers' squad not to be away on international duty are in Abu Dhabi for warm weather training. It's been a productive week for Leicester's players so far, with temperatures of just under 30 degrees Celsius providing exactly the desired climate.
"It’s warm!" City's No.7 laughed, catching up with LCFC TV at the Club's camp in the United Arab Emirates.
"It’s a strange and new thing for us to have this little break in mid-season, so it was nice for everyone to go and do their own things for a week or so, and then come back and get back together. It’s nice to see all the lads with a bit of colour! It’s been a good few days and good to get back in the swing of things.
"With the heat, it’s [about] adapting to it a little bit. I’m sure it’s only going to help us fitness-wise going forward, but it’s tough in the sessions! It adds a little bit. Instead of two single sessions per day, it’s all put into one, so it’s been tough.
"There’s been some good work, some good stuff going on, so everyone’s feeling good."
Away from taxing training sessions in the Persian Gulf, the squad have also been able to relax, bonding as a group and exploring their surroundings.
"There’s been a little bit of golf," Barnes revealed. "There’s been a competition going on between the staff and players, so that’s been good.
"Also just chilling by the pool really. Everyone’s had their free time to go and do what they want to do – go and do a bit of shopping or anything like that – so it’s been nice to have that social bonding off the pitch as well."
After taking on MK Dons before Christmas, a Boxing Day encounter with in-form Newcastle United at King Power Stadium sits on the horizon for City in the Premier League. Barnes wants Leicester to hit the ground running in the second part of the season.
"If you ask most of the players, we didn’t want the break to come with the way we were performing at the time and the way we started the season," he explained. "We wanted to keep that good form going, but [the break] came.
"You make the most of it and have that family time, or get a bit of sun, a break, and it’ll only benefit us for the rest of the season. It was nice to press that reset button and get things going again now. It's been, especially in the last six weeks, good for me and the team.
"I’ve hit a good bit of goalscoring form. For me as well, I didn’t want the break to come, but I’ll definitely be looking to kick on when we join back.
"We’ve obviously got the cup game before the league restarts, so we’ll look to progress in that and then get things going again in the Premier League and hopefully get a few more wins before the year’s out."