Behind the Badge: The science and detail behind an LFC player's nutrition

Whenever an item of food or drink passes a Liverpool player’s lips during the club’s upcoming trip to Hong Kong, it will mark the culmination of months of work from Mona Nemmer and her team.

Preparations for the 2017-18 campaign will step up this weekend as the Reds’ senior squad jet out to Asia in order to contest friendly fixtures against two of their Premier League rivals.

And, while they are out there, it up to the club’s head of nutrition to ensure that Jürgen Klopp’s charges are sufficiently fuelled to lay the foundations for a successful season.

It is an undertaking that requires substantial planning and remarkable attention to detail.

Nemmer explains: “We start quite early planning these things. As soon as we got the confirmation of where we were going, which was three to four months ago, we started thinking about approaching it.

“This year, it’s really special going to Hong Kong, which is a totally different culture from a food point of view,” she adds.

“There are so many healthy things we can include in our players’ nutrition, which makes it really interesting for them as well.

“Also, we have little things we like to pay attention to - like different countries have different habits, we try to focus on every details to avoid any inconvenience and to provide the same standard.”

The benefits of this extra preparation are evident in the detail of the menu the squad will pick from, with an emphasis on variety and meals themed on local cuisine ensuring eating the right foods isn’t a chore for the players.

Thankfully, this year Nemmer has been afforded the necessary time to lay down her strategy for a pre-season period that will also see the Reds travel to Germany and Ireland.

With so much to think about before the season even starts, Nemmer could be forgiven for dreading the big kick-off in August.

But, much like her compatriot Klopp, she brims with enthusiasm for the challenges that lay ahead, particularly the tight turnaround involved between games should Champions League qualification be secured.

“I’m so, so excited and I’m so happy that I have the chance to [be at] Liverpool and be responsible for the nutrition department here,” she says.

“You feel there is so much positive energy around and so much development in all different departments, and playing in Europe this year will be a fantastic thing and another great experience for all of us.

“I’m sure we’re going to handle all these little challenges that are coming up like short recoveries, I think we will be really good in these things as a team.”

What’s more, Nemmer’s happiness stretches beyond her professional life – she could not feel more at ease in Liverpool.

“It was funny, at the end of the summer break, I really had the feeling I would like to come back home,” she laughs. “[Liverpool has] really become home.

“From the first moment I’ve felt so comfortable here, there are no issues. There are so many friendly people are here at the club and it has felt really good.”

‘Behind the Badge’ is a regular feature on Liverpoolfc.com which aims to tell the individual stories of the numerous men and women who work tirelessly away from the spotlight in an attempt to make Liverpool FC successful.

We speak to various members of staff across the first-team, Academy and Ladies set-ups who dedicate their lives to the club each and every day, covering a variety of different roles that make a vital contribution in preparing the Reds for action.