The Bayern players listened attentively to their coach before working up a sweat in their first training session in Doha. "It's a really important week," commented Carlo Ancelotti after the session at lunchtime on Wednesday. "The Champions League is coming up, so we'll work pretty hard."
The Bavarians were in for intense drills on the neat training ground at the Aspire Academy, completing passing exercises and several rondo drills for more than an hour. "We're finally able to really exercise after a long time," explained Ancelotti, recalling the many midweek matches so far this term. "Bar two weeks, we simply played and recovered."
No winter signings
The time in Doha is therefore crucial for Ancelotti and his troops. "We have fantastic conditions here, great weather. It's perfect for our preparations," said the FCB head coach. The Bavarians achieved their goals in the first half of the season, a berth in the Champions League knockout rounds and top spot in the Bundesliga table. "But there's still room for improvement," stressed the Italian.
Ancelotti and his team aim to pick up where they left off in the last match before the winter break, a 3-0 victory over Leipzig: "We want to keep going down this route." Winter signings are not necessary, according to Ancelotti: "The squad is complete." The 57-year-old revealed that he would continue to rotate his squad after the winter break: "It's important for the players' health and motivation, I'd like to involve all my players."
No mistakes
Ancelotti knows that the decisive part of the season awaits the Munich men: "You can afford to make mistakes in the first half of the season, but not in the second." Reason enough for his players to work up a sweat in Doha.
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