'No vacation'

When it comes to accommodation for City, United, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and the rest, only the best will do.

Guardiola and his expensively assembled squad - plus dozens of club staff - took over the exclusive, 130-room Banyan Tree hotel in Shanghai.

Rooms at the self-styled "urban retreat in the city's most scenic location" start at nearly 2,000 yuan (about $300) a night.

PSG brought a heaving delegation of 120 people to Shenzhen, Macao and Suzhou, among them eight security personnel with walkie-talkies and at least two cooks in club-crested chef uniforms.

While in Suzhou for last Tuesday's 3-0 win over Sydney FC, PSG stayed at the deluxe Fairmont Yangcheng Lake hotel.

However, the French champion's midfielder Julian Draxler said being holed up in a hotel - no matter how swanky - could be "quite boring".

Throw in training in fierce heat, and media and commercial duties, and Draxler said it was no holiday.

The 25-year-old German World Cup winner said he was happy to be in China and meet Chinese fans, but conceded: "Honestly, when we are in preseason, we see the hotel, the plane, the bus and the pitches.

"It's not like we go out and try some restaurants or go and do some shopping."

Because of internet challenges, players are unable to while away the hours on social media or read news from back home - which Newcastle United's young goalkeeper Freddie Woodman said was probably a blessing.