Bayern are entering the last leg of their pre-season preparations. After three weeks at their home of Säbener Straße and the one-week Audi Summer Tour in the USA, the record champions moved onto their training camp on Lake Tegernsee on Thursday afternoon. Over the next seven days, the finishing touches will be applied ahead of the upcoming season and the first competitive game, the Supercup against Eintracht Frankfurt on 12 August.
“We have a long tradition of coming to Tegernsee,” explained sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic on Thursday ahead of the squad’s departure from Munich, speaking from his own experience as a player. “We wanted to go away but not too far, and the training facilities there are top. We’ll be able to prepare very thoroughly for the coming season there,” he continued.
The training camp in rural Bavaria will allow coach Niko Kovac to finally bring together his squad, who have so far been training in separate groups. The likes of veterans Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry began their pre-season on 2 July, whereas World Cup participants such as captain Manuel Neuer only returned to training last week. World Cup winner Corentin Tolisso will be the final player to join training on 12 August.
Kovac looking forward to working with whole team
“I know they’re behind in their training, that’s completely normal. However, we will stagger it in a way that everyone will be able to play some part at the start of the season, and by the first international break they'll be 100 per cent,” revealed the Bayern boss. “I’m looking forward to working with them. The quality will certainly increase then,” declared the 46-year-old, looking ahead confidently.
“It’s a proper training camp, with all the players,” stressed Salihamidzic. The work will be very intensive, as it has been in recent weeks. Five open training sessions are planned along with further closed practice sessions. On top of that, there are two friendlies against Manchester United on Sunday and against local club FC Rottach-Egern on Wednesday.
Indeed, the first training session took place not long after the Reds’ arrival. Kovac’s charges ran, crossed, shot, played and lastly cycled for over two hours in front of around 2,000 spectators. Sandro Wagner, James, Arturo Vidal, Renato Sanches and Kingsley Coman trained individually in the adjacent fitness tent. Meanwhile, there was a nasty moment for Franck Ribéry who suffered a cut after colliding with the goalpost during a finishing drill and was treated in the dressing room.
“It’s very pleasant here, I obviously know it well,” said Manuel Neuer, who lives on Tegernsee. “I think the conditions are great for us and we have the peace and quiet to train. We’re looking forward to the coming days.”
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