And research on young players suggests that sleep doesn’t just help on the field; it helps in the classroom too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sleep comes first<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
For Cubars\u00ed, everything starts with sleep. \u201cI sleep about nine hours a day. On matchdays, even more,\u201d he recently said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read More: Jos\u00e9 Flores says he’s 119 in Costa Rica, and the twist is experts are now racing to confirm if that’s even possible<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nNine hours is right at the top end of general guidance for adults his age, though sports specialists point out that an athlete\u2019s needs<\/a> can climb even higher once you factor in training, travel, and matches.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThat is not just a personal habit, it is sustained by real numbers. A study led by Ana Merayo through Bar\u00e7a Innovation Hub followed 261 young soccer players and found that 70 percent of them were sleeping less than they should. Players who slept more and slept better also tended to earn stronger academic results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The connection makes sense once you think about it. Lack of sleep can slow down focus, reaction time, speed, mood, and all of that matters when a defender has a half second to read a play or make the right pass. One late decision can change the whole game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"FC](\"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/pau-cubarsi-fc-barcelona-routine-sleep-training-burger-1.jpg\")
FC Barcelona defender Pau Cubars\u00ed balances elite training, university studies, and strict recovery routines at just 19 years old.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nTraining before class<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Back in 2024, during his final year of high school, Cubars\u00ed’s schedule looked something like this: train with the first team in the morning, then head to\u00a0class from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. to study social sciences at La Masia. That’s already a full day before he’s even opened a textbook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
European match weeks made it even harder. \u201cIf there is a Champions League game, I have to ask for notes or pay more attention the next day,\u201d he told RAC1. Try to imagine landing back home after a road trip and immediately opening a notebook while your classmates are already three chapters ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Business studies continue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
His academic setup changed after high school. By October 2025, Cubars\u00ed described his studies as an online Business Administration and Management course, rather than a full university schedule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reuters reported that the format was deliberately lighter so he could recover and keep studying alongside professional soccer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\nRead More: Jose Antonio Marina, philosopher: the worsxt thing education did was tell young people that only happiness matters and that it comes easy<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nDifferent reports have said it is either two or three afternoons a week, and the number can shift depending on\u00a0his calendar<\/a> for any given week. But the bigger picture is simple: the flexibility is what lets his classes fit around training, physio, travel, and games, instead of competing with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe academy built the habit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The pattern started years before his senior breakthrough. His official player profile<\/a> says he joined the academy from Girona on July 1, 2018, as an under-12 player, then made his competitive first-team debut at 16 in January 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDuring the 2024-25 season, he made 56 appearances and helped win three domestic trophies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The facilities include classrooms, tutorial rooms, group work areas, and spaces for personal support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"FC](\"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/pau-cubarsi-fc-barcelona-routine-burger.jpg\")
FC Barcelona center back Pau Cubarsi maintains a disciplined routine of sleep, training, and studies while enjoying a simple burger after wins.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nIn other words, training and education are designed to share the same calendar rather than fight for whatever time is left. Cubars\u00ed has clearly carried that mindset into his first-team career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The burger reward<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
His food routine leaves room for normal life. Cubars\u00ed says he tries to eat a varied diet<\/a> and take care of himself, but he does not treat every single meal like it is a test he has to pass. For most people, athletes included, a routine that actually feels doable tends to stick a lot better than one that only looks perfect on paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRead More: One plant supports your liver and takes down abdominal swelling if you use it daily, and it already grows in most kitchens<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAfter a good performance, his reward can be a hamburger. \u201cIf I played and, luckily, played well, the burger tastes much better,\u201d he said in the MARCA interview. It is a small win to close out a match that came with plenty of noise, pressure and physical drain of a match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keeping social media small<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Cubars\u00ed also tries to keep the phone in its place. In The Athletic, he said he pays little attention to social media<\/a> because everyone in soccer wants to judge what a player does or fails to do. \u201cI don\u2019t think you should pay too much attention to it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor him, the phone is mostly a way to pass time and look at things he enjoys. And that’s what rounds out the whole routine: sleep protects his recovery, school keeps another door open, the burger marks a job well done, and staying off social media quiets down the noise outside the stadium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The main sleep study discussed in this article was published in Science and Medicine in Football<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Pau Cubars\u00ed is only 19, but his daily schedule would wear out most grown adults. The FC Barcelona center back … <\/p>\n
That is not just a personal habit, it is sustained by real numbers. A study led by Ana Merayo through Bar\u00e7a Innovation Hub followed 261 young soccer players and found that 70 percent of them were sleeping less than they should. Players who slept more and slept better also tended to earn stronger academic results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The connection makes sense once you think about it. Lack of sleep can slow down focus, reaction time, speed, mood, and all of that matters when a defender has a half second to read a play or make the right pass. One late decision can change the whole game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Back in 2024, during his final year of high school, Cubars\u00ed’s schedule looked something like this: train with the first team in the morning, then head to\u00a0class from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. to study social sciences at La Masia. That’s already a full day before he’s even opened a textbook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n European match weeks made it even harder. \u201cIf there is a Champions League game, I have to ask for notes or pay more attention the next day,\u201d he told RAC1. Try to imagine landing back home after a road trip and immediately opening a notebook while your classmates are already three chapters ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His academic setup changed after high school. By October 2025, Cubars\u00ed described his studies as an online Business Administration and Management course, rather than a full university schedule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Reuters reported that the format was deliberately lighter so he could recover and keep studying alongside professional soccer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Different reports have said it is either two or three afternoons a week, and the number can shift depending on\u00a0his calendar<\/a> for any given week. But the bigger picture is simple: the flexibility is what lets his classes fit around training, physio, travel, and games, instead of competing with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The pattern started years before his senior breakthrough. His official player profile<\/a> says he joined the academy from Girona on July 1, 2018, as an under-12 player, then made his competitive first-team debut at 16 in January 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During the 2024-25 season, he made 56 appearances and helped win three domestic trophies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The facilities include classrooms, tutorial rooms, group work areas, and spaces for personal support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, training and education are designed to share the same calendar rather than fight for whatever time is left. Cubars\u00ed has clearly carried that mindset into his first-team career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His food routine leaves room for normal life. Cubars\u00ed says he tries to eat a varied diet<\/a> and take care of himself, but he does not treat every single meal like it is a test he has to pass. For most people, athletes included, a routine that actually feels doable tends to stick a lot better than one that only looks perfect on paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After a good performance, his reward can be a hamburger. \u201cIf I played and, luckily, played well, the burger tastes much better,\u201d he said in the MARCA interview. It is a small win to close out a match that came with plenty of noise, pressure and physical drain of a match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cubars\u00ed also tries to keep the phone in its place. In The Athletic, he said he pays little attention to social media<\/a> because everyone in soccer wants to judge what a player does or fails to do. \u201cI don\u2019t think you should pay too much attention to it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For him, the phone is mostly a way to pass time and look at things he enjoys. And that’s what rounds out the whole routine: sleep protects his recovery, school keeps another door open, the burger marks a job well done, and staying off social media quiets down the noise outside the stadium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The main sleep study discussed in this article was published in Science and Medicine in Football<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Pau Cubars\u00ed is only 19, but his daily schedule would wear out most grown adults. The FC Barcelona center back … <\/p>\nTraining before class<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Business studies continue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Read More: Jose Antonio Marina, philosopher: the worsxt thing education did was tell young people that only happiness matters and that it comes easy<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
The academy built the habit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The burger reward<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Read More: One plant supports your liver and takes down abdominal swelling if you use it daily, and it already grows in most kitchens<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Keeping social media small<\/h2>\n\n\n\n