Some of the Premier League’s players have been enjoying a much-needed Christmas break, with several clubs having to wait more than a week until they play again. 

Premier League games were spread out across last weekend and this weekend after a string of closely spaced December fixtures. This was done to accommodate warm-weather training, FA Cup or Carabao Cup matches, and, in certain cases, time off. 

Mauricio Pochettino granted his team a three-day rest following their narrow victory against Fulham, a rival team in west London, on Saturday. Their next game is not until more than ten days away. 

The Blues aren’t playing again until Tuesday, January 23, when they host Middlesbrough at Stamford Bridge for the second leg of their League Cup semi-final. To maximize their free time, they have been jet-setting to far-flung places. 

Mykhailo Mudryk and Enzo Fernandez both chose mountain vacations, with the World Cup winner choosing the Swiss resort of St. Mortiz. 

The 22-year-old took advantage of the clear blue skies to take photos against the white backdrop while traveling with his girlfriend Valentina Cervantes. 

The Ukrainian winger Mudryk chose snow over sand as well, but in an Instagram photo, he wouldn’t say where he was. 

Pochettino will be hoping that both players accept the advice of Manuel Neuer, the goalkeeper for Bayern Munich, who lost half the team’s season due to a skiing mishap and decided not to engage in any winter sports during their vacation. 

However, teammate Noni Madueke chose to skip a leisurely break and put himself through his paces at a private training camp for warm weather. 

The young English player, who won the Under-21 European Championships with teammate Cole Palmer last summer, shared a picture on Instagram Stories while gasping for air during a training practice. He captioned the photo with the hashtag “expensive pain.” 

Pochettino has only lately begun to trust the 21-year-old, and he seems to be making every effort to ensure that he continues to receive consistent playing time in all competitions. 

However, Madueke is hardly alone in prioritizing work over play during the little vacation; Anthony Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes, two Newcastle players, have also chosen to take city breaks rather than focus on improving their game. 

During his vacation, former Everton prospect Gordon traveled to New York, where he was seen watching a Brooklyn Nets game at the Barclay Center from courtside. 

Guimaraes, who has been connected to PSG, took a picture beneath the Arc de Triomphe.