Bom dia, Portugal. FC Bayern started the training camp in Faro on Sunday. Two days after the impressive 3-0 home win against TSG Hoffenheim in the first game of the year, the squad under coach Thomas Tuchel have set off from Munich en route to the Algarve. Sunshine and temperatures of 18 degrees await Bayern in the south of Portugal. The record champions will be there until Thursday in preparation for the forthcoming challenges in the Bundesliga and Champions League. “We will have better whether conditions so we can train for a bit longer and work on tactical details because everyone doesn't cool down straightaway. That will help us now," said Tuchel looking forward to the next few days.
18 first team players on board
The FCB coach is taking 18 players from the first-team squad to Portugal and they will be joined by youth players Lovro Zvonarek, Noel Aséko Nkili, Adam Aznou, Fukui Taichi, Anthony Pavlešić and Max Schmitt. Joshua Kimmich has not travelled due to the impending birth of his child. The 28-year-old will instead keep fit in Munich. In addition to the injured Bouna Sarr (torn cruciate), Daniel Peretz (knee) and Serge Gnabry (groin), Minjae Kim (Asia Cup with South Korea) and Noussair Mazraoui (Africa Cup of Nations with Morocco) will also be missing.
As the second half of the season has already started, for Tuchel the training camp will not be about "endless workloads but rather taking time to work on set pieces and moves, both in defence and attack, and correcting details." The FCB coach also highlighted the significance of the training camp for the atmosphere in the team: "Beyond that, it's about spending time with each other and that does the group good. We want to pick up a few more percentage points for the team spirit."
Preparations for the first week of fixtures
In Portugal, according to Tuchel, FC Bayern can expect "top conditions where we can train twice a day in peace, with patience and in detail," said the coach in setting out clear aims for the training camp: "We want to use these days to stick at it and improve our game." On returning from Portugal, the team face the first busy week of the new year with league fixtures against Werder Bremen (21 January), Union Berlin (24 January) and away to FC Augsburg (27 January).
New signing Eric Dier is also on board. Speaking to the media on Saturday, the defender talked about his targets with FCB:
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