FCB set for winter training camp

Some two weeks after the 3-0 victory over RB Leipzig in the last fixture of 2016, FC Bayern have set off for their traditional mid-season training camp. On Tuesday morning the German record champions boarded a Lufthansa charter to Doha, where Carlo Ancelotti and his troops will start preparing for the second half of the season. "I like the time we spend as a team, focusing on training," commented Mats Hummels, who knows the Emirates from last year. "I was at a training camp in Dubai last year and the conditions were perfect. I hope it'll be similar in Doha."

21 of the club's pros and three aspiring youngsters from the junior team, Raphael Obermair, Marco Friedl and Christian Früchtl, will lay the foundations for the second half of the campaign at Aspire Academy. The Bavarians are expected to arrive at 18.30 local time (16.30 CET) before boarding the bus for the team hotel. Nine players (Ribéry, Robben, Neuer, Hummels, Lewandowski, Vidal, Costa, Rafinha and Thiago) will travel to Doha direct from vacation. Jérôme Boateng on the other hand is remaining in Munich to continue working on his sports rehab programme. On Wednesday morning the Bayern pros will work out under Carlo Ancelotti's auspices in the first training session this year.

Bayern will contest one friendly match in Doha, against Belgian top flight outfit KAS Eupen on Tuesday 10 January. The German record champions return to Munich a day later on 11 January. fcbayern.com, FCBayern.tv and our social media channels are up close and personal with the stars, reporting from the departure to the return trip.