Madrid  - Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini has turned down a request from his players to eliminate pre-match "concentrations", according to sports daily Marca on Monday.

The "concentrations", for which an exact translation into English does not exist, are the training camps organized by most Spanish clubs one or two days before each match, in which the players stay at an hotel and work hard in tactical and physical preparation.

They have never been popular with the players, who would prefer to spend more time with their families.

Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola raised eyebrows last season by eliminating most "concentrations," and by travelling to away matches on the morning of the game, something virtually unprecedented in Spain.

According to Marca on Monday, the "heavyweights" in the Real Madrid dressing-room have asked Pellegrini to eliminate the "concentrations" - but to no avail.

Marca quoted the Chilean coach as saying that "the 'concentrations' are not negotiable".

Pellegrini and his squad were due to fly out later Monday to Switzerland ahead of Tuesday's Champions League debut against Swiss champions FC Zurich, although it seems that most of the players would prefer the coach to emulate Guardiola and delay the trip until Tuesday. (dpa)