They are back! Led by new signings Mats Hummels and Renato Sanches, Bayern's remaining EURO participants resumed training on Friday morning. Besides Hummels and Sanches, Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, Joshua Kimmich, Robert Lewandowski and Kingsley Coman took up pre-season preparation. The session came too early for Jérôme Boateng, who is recovering from a ruptured muscle bundle in his thigh.
“We're delighted it starts again now,” Müller commented after his first session under new head coach Carlo Ancelotti. The seven pros completed a one-hour programme on a relatively cold and damp morning, which is “ideal for training. We've set a light training stimulus, and we're looking forward to the upcoming challenges,” Müller added, full of zest after a four-week holiday.
Hummels meets old companions
“I was received by very bad weather, but after four weeks of blazing sunshine it was nice for a change. It's better for training anyway,” Mats Hummels said. “It was really nice, I saw many physios and stewards from former times. Many people who didn't just say hello, but - after nine years - welcome back. These are beautiful moments.”
The next training session at the Allianz Arena is scheduled for Saturday afternoon. Afterwards the German record champions start preparation for the first highlight of the new season, the Supercup final away to Bundesliga runners-up Borussia Dortmund on 14 August. Ancelotti aims to get his stars into shape for the cracker. “We have ten days to prepare. That's not enough to be fit for the whole season, but it's sufficient to be ready for this match,” Ancelotti said after returning from the US on Thursday. His troops have taken the first step.
