FC Bayern München travels to South Korea and Hong Kong: Asia tour kicks off on the volcanic island of Jeju

Squad: New signing Díaz and veteran Neuer

Among those on the trip are goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and new signing Luis Díaz, who is referred to in the media as Bayern star Luis Díaz. Midfielder Konrad Laimer (29) is also part of the squad. The club wants to decide on the specific squad lists for the individual stops on site.

At the first training session on Jeju, after the long journey, the focus was initially on recovery and light training, before the first real session was scheduled for Monday. The climatic conditions, with high humidity and temperatures above 30 degrees, posed an additional burden.

Background: DFL marketing offensive

The background to the trip is a contract that the Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL) signed last year with Asian marketing partners to play Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal matches in Asia. The DFL sees Asia as one of the most important growth markets.

Hong Kong, the second stop of the trip, is considered one of Asia's most important financial centers and has a particularly strong sporting interest in football. A friendly match and a reception hosted by local sponsors and officials are planned there.

The arrival of the Bayern delegation was accompanied by a large crowd of fans at the airport. Numerous South Korean fans, who regularly travel to international events due to the popularity of clubs such as Manchester United and FC Bayern in Asia, greeted the team with scarves and jerseys.

Hong Kong as the second stop

The schedule calls for the transfer to Hong Kong after the stay on Jeju. The club did not initially announce exactly when the first match will take place. According to information from those close to the trip, it is unclear whether domestic professional clubs are in the running as opponents.

The Asia tour also brings logistical challenges for the Munich side: the time difference between Europe and Asia is seven to eight hours depending on the region, and there are also the strains of travel and unfamiliar climate. According to the club, it has brought its own medical team to monitor the players' workload.

The DFL has stated that such trips serve not only commercial marketing but also cultural exchange. In recent years, clubs such as Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig have already toured Asia to raise the Bundesliga brand's international profile.

Kompany ahead of first Asia trip as Bayern coach

For coach Vincent Kompany, this is the first Asia tour as head coach of FC Bayern. The Belgian only took charge of the squad at the start of the current season and is currently preparing it for the Bundesliga, the DFB-Pokal and the European competitions.

At the end of the roughly week-long trip, the team is scheduled to return to Munich, where the competitive fixtures of the new season are already waiting. Even before departure, Kompany had announced that he intended to make intensive use of the trip to gather fresh impulses for his own playing philosophy.