Bayern back in training

Runaway leaders Bayern Munich returned to training during the winter break in the Bundesliga minus its young Danish international midfielder Pierre Emile Hojbjerg.

The 19-year-old completed a six-month loan move to fellow Bavaria-based club FC Augsburg, as his teammates were taking to the field on a freezing evening in Munich.

Midfielder Hojbjerg has been limited to only 17 first team appearances since becoming the youngest ever Bayern debutant in April 2013, and Wednesday’s deal will keep him at the SGL Arena until the end of the current Bundesliga season.

Hojbjerg signed for Bayern as a 16-year-old in January 2012 from the Copenhagen-based side Brondby IF; he has five international caps for Denmark.

'Toughest tests to come'

Bayern opened up an 11-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga last month but will face arguably their sternest assignment yet when restarting their campaign on January 30 with a visit to second-placed Wolfsburg.

"The big games are to come in the second half of the season," said Dutch winger Arjen Robben at Wednesday’s session. "It will be very important that we concentrate on our work."

As the snow fell on a cold Wednesday evening and the temperature dropped to near zero, several players were seen warming up in hats and leggings. Defender Holger Badstuber was returning to training for the first time since tearing thigh tendons in the Matchday 3 home win over Stuttgart, while Xherdan Shaqiri was also back despite reports linking the Swiss winger to Inter Milan.

However the long-term injured Philipp Lahm, Thiago and Javi Martinez were missing.

Pep Guardiola put his players through a series of light moves in a one-hour session broadcast live on YouTube. Bayern will continue to train in Munich until they leave on January 17 for an eight-day training camp in Qatar, where Schalke have already been making the most of the warm weather conditions.

Bottom club Freiburg and Hoffenheim also returned to training earlier on Wednesday.

pwh/msh (dpa, SID)