The 18 Bundesliga clubs are approaching their winter break in different ways. Only six teams are traveling to training camp, and one is starting later than the rest.
It is currently impossible to say how warm it will be in Frankfurt on January 9, but the Borussia Dortmund pros can expect a bit of a temperature shock. They will return from their training camp in Marbella, Spain, where temperatures of up to 15 degrees and sunshine are expected in the coming days, just one day before their Bundesliga away game at Eintracht.
BVB is one of six Bundesliga clubs using their winter break for a training camp in the warm south. 1. FC Köln is also heading to Spain, where they will be based in Benidorm until January 9, as is TSG Hoffenheim, who will be in Girona until January 7.
In Portugal, VfL Wolfsburg (in Lisbon until January 8) and RB Leipzig (in Almancil until January 7) are preparing for the rest of the season, while Borussia Mönchengladbach has opted for the “classic” Belek in Turkey, but will only stay there from January 2 to 5. “There isn’t much time left for preparation. That’s why we decided to bring the team and staff together for this training kick-off and join forces,” explained sporting director Rouven Schröder.
Like the Foals, eleven other Bundesliga clubs will also be back in action the day after New Year’s Day. At BVB, which is leaving for Spain on that day, the official start of training is January 3, as is the case at FC Bayern, VfB Stuttgart, Hamburger SV, and FC St. Pauli, all of which are foregoing a training camp.
FC St. Pauli is the only team to start before New Year’s Eve, with Bayer 04 Leverkusen the only straggler.
The Bundesliga’s third-placed team will not resume training until January 4. On January 9, Frankfurt and Dortmund will kick off the 16th matchday, which will be followed immediately by a midweek double-header with matchdays 17 and 18. The top match of the 16th round will be the clash between Leverkusen and VfB on Saturday evening.