Results are plain to see for invisible man Bruno

Now Albion skipper Bruno is hoping what the public eye does not see can help him through another busy season at an advanced stage in his career.

Bruno will turn 36 on the day the Seagulls chase a first ever win at Sheffield Wednesday, three-and-a-half weeks from now.

He has barely missed a game since Albion moved to what could be called ‘proper’ training facilities at Lancing.

But he admits these days the regime has to go far beyond the training ground.

Bruno has been sharing some of the secrets of his well-bring and fitness back home in Catalonia, with well known figures in the world of sports psychology and preparation.

The right-back headed an Albion scheme last season which encouraged children to cut down on sugary drinks.

During the close season, he was called upon to speak on a forum at the Catalan College of Psychology, not just about what goes on in the mind but also the process of being ready for professional sport.

He was joined on the panel by a sports psychologist and a world renowned expert on the study of sleep and its benefits.

Bruno told The Argus: “I was talking about what we call invisible training.

“It’s what you do after training sessions. When you are getting older, you need to do plenty of things. You need to look after yourself.

“I try to have an ice bath almost every day, not just after matches. The diet as well. Trying to sleep a lot.

“It’s tough, it’s a lot of dedication but, in the end, it is a lifestyle. It has to be your whole lifestyle.”

Bruno was asked to give his views by Oliver Martinez, one of Spain’s top sports psychologists.

The Albion star has used mind coaching in the past and still practises some routines.

He said: “These days I don’t work with a sports psychologist.

“But one of my friends is a sports psychologist and I worked with him.

“I think maybe for young players, players who are in tough situations, it helps quite a lot to speak about what you are going through. They can give you some routines.

“Maybe players can lose concentration sometimes and they have exercises which can help you concentrate.

“You need that concentration for 90, 95 minutes which is sometimes how long the game lasts."We have always said it is about small details. That minute when you lose concentration could be when you concede the goal. 

“We have to work on that. Maybe with psychologists you can improve.”

Classic routines can include counting to one minute without looking at a stopwatch before checking to see if you are going too quickly.

Another can be counting that same minute in your head while trying to hold a conversation.

Bruno said: “In football, sports psychologists are not that common but, in other sports, especially in the USA, they work a lot.

“I’ve kept some good habits from a few years ago and I’m trying to keep my concentration.”

Bruno recently used social media to post a picture of an afternoon snack he was enjoying.

It consisted of brown toast topped with agave syrup and sliced banana, with some nuts and black grapes on the side and washed down by a cup of matcha tea.

After more than four years in this country, he has not still not grasped the concept of English afternoon tea!

“Healthy food, look after yourself,” he said. “That is pretty typical of a snack I would have.

“But it you can’t just do one thing well. It has to be lifestyle.”

There is one aspect of Bruno’s routine during the close season which he will not be maintaining as part of a year-round lifestyle – and it is one he enjoyed immensely.

The skipper tuned up for this season with the help of some futevolei, the blend of beach volleyball and football which is so massively popular on the sands of the Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro.

Bruno played at the Futevolei Barcelona club, in the Barceloneta beach district of the city (pictured above). It is a sport which suits his style of playing football down to the ground.

And it was something he loved, both as a bit of fun and to keep in shape before pre-season.

He said: “It was my first time and I enjoyed it a lot. One of my best friends plays a lot. I was trying to play first of all because I was enjoying it and, secondly, because you keep fit.

“It’s so different to football. We played with good friends, nice atmosphere, with the kids as well. It is about technique and it is so hard on the legs, playing on sand.

“But I really enjoyed it and you can improve some technique as well.”