Juniors to kick off German residency

BERLIN — China’s Under-20 team will launch a new era on Saturday, playing the first of 16 friendlies against German fourth-division opposition in an experiment aimed at advancing the nation’s chances at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The Chinese government has committed to heavy investment in the sport in the hope of ending years of national underachievement.

Vice-Premier Liu Yandong signed a five-year soccer partnership agreement with German Chancellor Angela Merkel last year.

As part of that agreement, China’s U-20 national squad will play a series of friendly matches in Germany over the next six months.

In a distinctive red strip, with alternate colors of yellow and white, Team China will play clubs in Germany’s fourth-tier Regionalliga Suedwest (southwest regional league), but results will not be included in the league standings.

Three teams have refused to face the Chinese, but the other 16 clubs in the 19-strong league will each be paid $17,634 for the games.

It is the first time a junior national team will play a series of games against clubs in the German league pyramid.

On Saturday, TSV Schott Mainz will become the first club to face the Chinese juniors, who will be housed in Teistungen, central Germany, and travel by bus to their matches, which run until May.