Star Midfielder James Rodriguez issued an emphatic statement as to how long he intends to stay at Bayern Munich, as the Bundesliga giants continued their winter training camp at Aspire Zone’s outdoor football pitches yesterday.  
On loan from Real Madrid at the Bavarian giants until summer 2019, the Colombian plans to remain in the Bundesliga. “I’m staying here,” Rodriguez said yesterday, speaking after Bayern’s training camp at Aspire. “My present is here and I’m very happy in Munich. I don’t want to think about anything else.”
Bayern do have an option to purchase the playmaker at the end of his loan spell, and Rodriguez has repeatedly professed his enjoyment of life in Germany and the Bundesliga in recent weeks.
“I like the stadiums in the Bundesliga a lot,” said Rodriguez. “They’re always full. You also play against very good teams, it’s a top league.”
Before any purchasing options can be exercised next summer, there is the small matter of a three-pronged trophy assault that will dominate Bayern’s focus until the end of the season.
“I have a very good feeling with the team,” said Rodriguez. “I hope things go well in the second half of the season because I still want to achieve a lot with this team.”
Part of Bayern’s recent success - the Bundesliga champions boast an 11-point cushion at the top of the standings - is no doubt down to the 26-year-old’s swift adaption to German football: Rodriguez has scored twice and returned three further assists in the Bundesliga so far this term, as well as helping Jupp Heynckes’ side to a place in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.
“I slowly found my rhythm,” Rodriguez said of his personal first half of the season. “It helped that I got so much playing time. Jupp Heynckes is a top coach - second to none worldwide. We speak a lot and it helps me that he speaks Spanish.”
Bayern arrived in Doha on Tuesday night for their eighth annual winter training camp in Doha, which will run until Sunday.  Tomorrow, the team will also play a friendly match at 5 on Pitch 05 against Qatari club Al Ahli SC.
Coach Jupp Heynckes again did not have his full squad available for the morning session yesterday.
Defender Joshua Kimmich had a slight cold and was sidelined as a precaution. Goalkeeper Sven Ulreich, who sprained the middle finger of his right hand on Wednesday, did complete most of the training session but did not take part in goalkeeping drills or the practice match at the end. The 29-year-old will return to full training when the swelling on his bruised finger has gone down.
Star striker Robert Lewandowski did initially join in with the training session. The striker, who has a problem with his knee, took part in the warm-up routine with his teammates but then worked on his own doing runs on a neighbouring pitch. Due to a groin problem, Mats Hummels was only able to do some light running.