Niklas Süle skips holiday to continue training ahead of UEFA Champions League return for Bayern Munich
Niklas Süle has remained at Bayern Munich's training ground while the rest of the Bundesliga title-winning squad take a break as the Germany international centre-back seeks to bolster the German champions' UEFA Champions League challenge.
His Bayern teammates are soaking up the sun, but Süle was soaking in sweat on Monday morning as he was put through his paces by the club's fitness coach Simon Martinello at the Säbener Strasse training complex.
"Niklas wanted to train, I think that's good," said Bayern boss Hansi Flick, who has been without Süle since he suffered a cruciate ligament injury in mid-October.
"He's got some catching up to do, but he's on the right track. The ten days will do him good with a view to preparing for the Champions League."
Süle was barely missed as his teammates wrapped up an eighth successive domestic crown, but the strapping 24-year-old will be a welcome reinforcement when Bayern resume their continental challenge en route to what they hope will be the club's second treble.
Having returned to the squad as an unused substitute for the DFB Cup final win over Leverkusen - Süle's first involvement since rupturing his left knee's ACL in the Matchday 8 2-2 draw at Augsburg in October - the ex-Hoffenheim man will now hope to play some part in his club's Champions League round of 16 second leg against Chelsea, scheduled for 7/8 August.
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With a 3-0 advantage following the first leg at Stamford Bridge, Bayern are heavily fancied to progress to the 'final 8' mini-tournament to be staged in Portugal from 12 to 23 August giving Süle a prestigious target to get fully fit for.
Under Flick's predecessor, Niko Kovac, Süle had played every minute of Bayern's opening two Champions League group stage games - the 3-0 win over Crvena Zvezda and the 7-2 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur - before injury struck.
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