Bayern Munich's Club World Cup preparations hit by lengthy flight delay

Bayern Munich’s travel plans for the 2020 FIFA Club World Cup were hit by more than seven hours of delays on Friday night, meaning they didn’t actually take off from Germany to fly to Qatar, where the tournament is being held, until Saturday morning.

Bayern were travelling straight from Berlin after their Bundesliga clash with Hertha, won by a single first half goal from Kingsley Coman, but the team plane was denied permission to take-off at its scheduled time shortly before midnight.

The flight was delayed by more than seven hours and the unscheduled overnight stay meant that the crew had to be changed because the original staff had already hit their maximum hours.

There also had to be an additional stopover in Munich and the journey to Doha for the Club World Cup finally began shortly after 9am (CET) on Saturday morning.

Bayern would have already in arrived in Qatar by then had they been able to set off on time. Instead, they will not land in the gulf state until Saturday evening.

Losing most of a day, means Bayern will have only Sunday to train and prepare before facing CAF Champions League winners Al Ahly from Egypt in their semi-final on Monday 8 February.

If Bayern beat Al Ahly, they will face either Palmeiras or Tigres in the final on Thursday 11 February.

Palmeiras qualified by winning the delayed 2020 Copa Libertadores last month, while Mexican side Tigres are the reigning CONCACAF champions. Both are competing in the Club World Cup for the first time, although Palmeiras did contest the old Intercontinental Cup in 1999.

The 2020 competition, which has been postponed from December because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, has already started.

Local champions Al Duhail were awarded their preliminary first round match against Auckland City because the New Zealanders withdrew. Al Ahly then beat Al Duhail in a second round contest, while Tigres knocked out AFC champions Ulsan Hyundai from South Korea at that stage.

Bayern and Palmeiras were both given byes to the semi-finals.

Bayern last competed at the Club World Cup in 2013 when it was held in Morocco. They lifted the trophy, beating Raja Casablanca in the final, with the local side having only qualified as hosts and shocking Monterrey and Atletico Mineiro to get through the earlier rounds.

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