PARIS, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- Following Wednesday's home match against Caen, players and staff of Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain will arrive in Qatar's Doha on Thursday for their annual mid-season Winter Tour training camp.

"We are excited to return to Qatar for this new winter tour, and to benefit from training in the country's warm winter weather, and its remarkable facilities in Aspire Zone," said Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Chairman and CEO of Paris Saint-Germain.

"Our team always enjoys visiting Qatar, experiencing first hand the culture, visiting various sites and witnessing the developments in its infrastructure and offerings since our last visit," he added.

Apart from training at the world-class facilities, several PSG players will have the chance of trying a popular local sport, and enjoying tours to famous sites in Qatar.

Since 2012, PSG and Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) have worked on a strategic partnership to promote Qatar's sport and leisure tourism. QTA has hosted several tours for PSG teams.

PSG built a nine-point lead atop the Ligue 1 table into the winter break. A huge challenge ahead will be the two-leg Champions League round of 16 against title holders Real Madrid.