Altitude tents and oxygen-restricting masks are being used to acclimatise to conditions ahead of the CONCACAF Champions Cup final.
William GittinsWillGittUpdate: May 31st, 2024 07:30 EDT0
Nathan Ray SeebeckUSA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Columbus Crew have reached the pinnacle of CONCACAF club soccer, the Champions Cup final, but still have one last ascent to make.
This Saturday Wilfried Nancy’s team will compete for the continental title against Liga MX side Pachuca, who have home advantage for the single-legged final. The game will take place at Pachuca’s Estadio Hidalgo, which sits a staggering 7,843 feet above sea level. Playing at such high altitude brings new challenges for the Crew, who have spent the week in preparation for the historic game.
The Columbus Dispatch reports that Columbus players have been using specialised equipment that is designed to recreate the pressures of playing at high altitude.
“We’re just trying to get as acclimated as you can to go into those conditions, anything helps,” team captain Darlington Nagbe explained. “If you can get the exact same feeling, I think the little bit that you do can get your body adjusted, get you used to that feeling, you’re going to feel when you go over there.”
Feeling the love. Let’s make history 🖤💛 pic.twitter.com/M6nLfrIjl0
— The Crew (@ColumbusCrew) May 30, 2024
Columbus Crew prepare for CONCACAF Champions Cup final
Central to the Crew’s pre-match preparation has been the use of altitude tents and special masks that restrict oxygen intake. First team players had altitude tents installed in their homes in the weeks leading up to the trip to Pachuca and were encouraged to sleep and perform daily activities in these tents whenever possible, forcing their bodies to acclimatise to the tough conditions.
Likewise the masks were used at the practice centre to replicate the energy-sapping nature of exercising at high altitude. Ahead of the game Columbus forward Christian Ramirez shared footage of himself and other players wearing the masks while using stationary bikes.
The CONCACAF Champions Cup Final will be played in Pachuca which is 8000 feet above sea level (Columbus is 800), quite the home field advantage.The Crew are already preparing their bodies, they are sleeping in altitude tents and working out in altitude masks. #Crew96 pic.twitter.com/kxuKV2vOvU
— Adam King (@AdamKing10TV) May 29, 2024
With their altitude preparedness work completed the Crew travelled to Pachuca on Thursday and were waved off at the airport by legions of Columbus supporters. But while the altitude and the occasion provide additional context, Crew forward Diego Rossi insisted that it will be business as usual for the team.
