Friday morning featured a momentous event for FC Bayern München as the club ceremonially laid the foundation stone for a new sports complex with an elite youth academy at the Ingolstädter Strasse site in the north of Munich. "I am convinced this will be a milestone in the history of FC Bayern," commented club president Karl Hopfner, "we have some catching up to do in comparison with other major European clubs. That's exactly why we're doing this now!"

Hopfner was joined by FCB chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, architect Prof Albert Speer, Mayor of Munich Dieter Reiter and mayor of the district of Oberschleißheim Christian Kuchlbauer for the ceremonial start of construction at the site. FC Bayern has budgeted "investment of around €70 million" for the new facility.

The complex is scheduled to be completed in time for the start of the 2017/18 season and will incorporate eight football pitches, including a 2,500 capacity stadium, the youth academy, a headquarters building with office space and a multi-purpose sports hall. "It'll be full steam ahead as of 2017," Rummenigge declared after the foundation stone ceremony.