Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 7y

Bayern Munich unsure whether tour of Asia 'is right idea' in future - Hoeness

Bayern Munich are not entirely happy with their current 12-day tour of Asia and will put the format "up for discussion" when they return to Germany, president Uli Hoeness has said.

Having lost to Arsenal and AC Milan in the first two matches of their 2017 tour of Asia, Bayern left China for Singapore, their third and final stop before returning to Germany. There, the tour will come to an end with matches against Chelsea and Inter Milan in the International Champions Cup.

And, speaking to reporters in Singapore, Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has now said they will need to reassess plans for the upcoming season.

"It's definitely borderline what we've done here so far," Hoeness said. "Whether playing four matches in twelve days, including a journey to another country, is the right idea will be up for discussion internally afterwards.

"It has to come under scrutiny whether you need to travel six to eight hours on one day, even more so our main interests are in China. It appears that economic reasons were responsible for the trip to Singapore. The promoter of the tour wanted it that way, and we gave in, but I doubt that's set in stone for all times."

At the weekend, defender Juan Bernat became the second player to leave Bayern's Asia tour injured. The Spaniard suffered an ankle injury in the 4-0 loss to AC Milan, and followed his teammate Thiago Alcantara to Munich where he will undergo further examination this week.

Fellow Bundesliga club Schalke, meanwhile, have already returned from their second consecutive summer trip to China, and the club have offered a positive summary of their week in the Far East.

In an interview with the club's official homepage, marketing executive Alexander Jobst said that Schalke "have definitely not been there for the last time," and explained that the club's academy work in China is "the ticket for this market."

Elsewhere, RB Leipzig coach Ralph Hasenhuttl has told reporters he is quite happy his club have yet to go on a marketing trip abroad.

"It's unreal what is demanded of the players," Hasenhuttl said. "I am very thankful that we are spared from it for now. I don't know if it'll stay that way."

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