Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano improved fitness ahead of World Cup season

Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano knew the 2022/23 season was going to be a grind.

The normal schedule of Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League games was going to be jam-packed — even without throwing in a mid-season World Cup tournament. Upamecano knew that he would have to be prepared.

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“In the summer, I looked at my weaknesses and also at what I did well. I hired a fitness trainer before the season and took little vacation. My goal was to start the season fit and prepared. You saw that straight away in the games,” Upamecano told Tz (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).

One other form of training Upamecano was to work with an opera singer.

“In the beginning it was awkward. I had to do small exercises, also sing. I have laughed a lot. After that it was very relaxed. It helped me a lot. Because I shout a lot in defense in games, I always had vocal cord pain. It’s gone now,” Upamecano remarked. “If someone from the outside criticizes me, I don’t care. This is football. Everyone has their own opinion. I just keep going — no matter what external experts say. What matters to me is what my confidants think.”