On the third day of Bayern’s winter training camp, the scars of battle were in evidence for the first time. Tape supports and plasters adorned a foot or two, “and obviously you feel it in your legs,” said Philipp Lahm in the aftermath of four workouts and a fitness test. However, the squad remains in high spirits. The players at Germany’s most successful club seem inspired and motivated by the sunny surroundings of Dubai.
“You sense it in training,” commented Mario Gomez, “every player has that Bayern feeling. The other teams will soon be respecting Bayern in a different way.” A run of six wins on the spin before Christmas has restored the spring in the stars’ steps. “We didn’t just win, we were convincing,” recalled Thomas Müller. Now, FCB are looking to step up another gear for the rest of the campaign.
Focus on defence and attack
“We can’t just stay where we are. We still have to play better football,” insisted Lahm. The right-back feels FCB have allowed their opponents too many chances this term: “We let in some unnecessary goals before the mid-season break. That has to stop.”


Topics of this article