Doha: German giants Bayern Munich arrived in Qatar for the annual winter training camp, to be staged at Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence fifth year in a row.
A total of 26 players arrived by the Lufthansa charter jet in Doha yesterday.
The only members of the first team squad not making the trip to Doha were long-term injury absentees Philipp Lahm and Thiago.
By contrast Javi Martínez was among the group and will continue his sports rehab programme after a cruciate ligament injury.
Two talented U-19 youngsters, Michael Eberwein and Marco Hingerl, are also making the trip.
“Conditions there are superb,” Jerome Boateng commented at Munich airport prior to departure according to a report on the Bayern Munich website.
“We’re all delighted to be getting going. We want to lay the foundations for success in the second half of the season.”
As part of winter break training programme Bayern Munich will play the elite players of the Qatar Stars League (QSL) in a friendly match on January 13.
The match is organised by QSL and the local side will be led by Lekhwiya SC coach Michael Laudrup while the German side will be led by coach Pep Guardiola (pictured).
The one off match, known as: ‘The Clash of the Stars’ is to be played at Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium is one of the two friendly matches the Bavarian will play during the winter break. The Bundesliga leaders’ Qatar winter camp will be for eight days, from January 9 to 17. The Germans will play a second friendly on January 17 against Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia as part of their winter tour.
THE PENINSULA
