According to a media report, FC Bayern Munich has decided on a winter training camp location that is likely to cause anger and resentment in the fan scene.
When the winter break in the Bundesliga begins on November 14, many players in the upper house will move straight on to the World Cup in Qatar, including almost all FC Bayern pros. The controversial desert world championship in the emirate, which has been criticized for disregarding fundamental human rights, will end no later than with the final on December 19.
But for the stars of FC Bayern, the time in Qatar is not yet over. Because after a short Christmas break, the German record champion wants to travel (again) to Qatar to set up his winter training camp there, as “Sport Bild” found out.
Apart from a break during the corona pandemic, the Munich-based company has been a regular guest in Doha since 2011, flying to the Middle East with sponsor Qatar Airways. To the displeasure of many fans.
Last year’s annual general meeting of the soccer series champions even had to be broken off prematurely due to the increasingly fierce criticism of Qatar’s sponsorship. “In hindsight, it would certainly have been better to continue,” Bayern President Herbert Hainer said sheepishly a day later.
FC Bayern probably wants to extend the contract with Qatar
Either way: In 2022/23 FC Bayern will be drawn to the desert state again. According to the sports newspaper, it starts on January 5th. A week’s stay is planned. The coaching team around Julian Nagelsmann should welcome the decision because the (training) conditions on site are ideal.
However, it is still unclear whether FC Bayern will continue to fly to Doha in the coming years and continue sponsoring Qatar. The contract expires. However, there are many indications that the 25 million euro package that the record champions receive every year will be continued.
However, there should apparently be a visit from Bayern officials in the emirate beforehand. So far there have been no official statements from the club, but according to “Sport Bild” the trend is clearly towards extending the contract. How supporters will react to this news at the annual general meeting in mid-October should be obvious.
The winter break ends on January 19, 2023. One day later, FC Bayern start the 16th match day of the Bundesliga with an away game at RB Leipzig.