BERLIN, June 9 -- The "Royal Blues" called off their trip to China due to the late qualification for the UEFA Europa League group stage, Schalke announced in an official statement on Tuesday.
Schalke cancelled the summer preparations for the upcoming Bundesliga season 2015-2016 in China. The deciding reasons are the late direct qualification for Europa League's group stage and the resulting "lack of planning certainty for a successful stay in China".
China is an important market for Schalke's international recognition. Hence, Schalke underlined the importance of the Chinese market with their sponsors Hisense and Huawei.
"Due to the delay of our planning we are no longer convinced of a successful and smooth trip to China. Such a trip must be well prepared to be a convincing success for the club's new market. Under the given conditions this won't be possible. Therefore, we decided upon consolation with our partner Hisense and the German Soccer League to visit China at a later time," Schalke's marketing director Alexander Jobst said.
Jobst and a five men delegation from Schalke spent already last October several days in China to establish and intensify relations.
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