In the 2010s, Bayern Munich made a habit of going to the Middle East over the Bundesliga’s winter break. A short training camp, followed by maybe a friendly match or two, or even three sometimes, was almost considered club tradition. Qatar was the main destination, namely due to the partnership between the club and the country’s flagship carrier Qatar Airways.
However, a combination of a global pandemic, increasingly shorter winter breaks, and the termination of said partnership with Qatar Airways has led to Bayern canceling its Middle Eastbound journey. The last time Bayern went to Qatar was in early 2023. Last season, the club didn’t venture to Asia at all, instead making a last-second trip to Portugal for a few days.
This year, however, the Bavarians could find themselves back in the Middle East. According to Bild’s Tobi Altschäffl, Bayern are considering a trip to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates this January.
The trip is still just a concept, though, as there remain a few factors to consider. One is the feasibility of the resulting workload. This season’s winter break starts on the 22nd of December and ends on the 10th of January, giving the teams just under three weeks to rest. Factoring in the players’ vacations, it remains to be seen whether a trip so far makes sense with so little time. Instead, Bayern could go on another European training camp, as do most Bundesliga clubs.
The other factor is the cost. In previous training camps, Qatar Airways partially covered the cost of getting there and back, and staying there. This time, Bayern don’t have a Middle East-based sponsor, so finding someone to pay for the expenses of the trip is the first step. According to Altschäffl, Bayern could look for sponsors in the UAE to help fund their training camp.
Should the camp happen, it would be a short, 4-5 day long trip. Whether there will be a friendly match scheduled afterwards, be it in Asia or back in Europe, remains to be seen.
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