Bayern Munich Leads Bundesliga by One Point as Coach Faces Weeks in Hospital
Max Eberl says Vincent Kompany's recovery will be measured in weeks, with Aaron Danks taking charge against Freiburg on Sunday.
By Leila Reynolds ·
Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany will spend several weeks in hospital recovering from a virus, club director Max Eberl said on Saturday. The 40-year-old collapsed on the training pitch the previous day and remains in a stable condition. Eberl stated that medical examinations are ongoing to determine the specific nature of the illness, but the club expects an absence measured in weeks rather than days.
Eberl emphasized that the club is not setting a strict recovery timeline. "Vinnie will be given all the time he needs. We're not starting to put together any timeframes," he told reporters. He noted that the staff must first understand the diagnosis before discussing his return. Eberl added that a strong performance in the upcoming match would aid Kompany's recovery.
Assistant coach Aaron Danks will lead the team for the Bundesliga fixture at Freiburg on Sunday. Danks, who is English, addressed the media on Saturday in place of Kompany. He confirmed he spoke briefly with the former captain on Friday. "I explained to him that we wouldn't be having no football conversations. It was just checking in on his health and making sure he's OK," Danks said. He added that the coaching staff would work together to manage operations.
Kompany had returned to the dugout for the home match against Arsenal on Wednesday despite missing the pre-match news conference. He admitted to ignoring early warning signs of the virus. "I caught a pretty nasty virus last week, and of course, I didn't listen to my body, and then at some point, my body just said, 'Enough is enough!'", Kompany said after the game.
The club postponed Bayern's second team match on Friday following the collapse. Eberl said the first team did not seek a delay for the Freiburg game. He viewed a positive result as the best way to support the head coach. Germany captain Joshua Kimmich will also miss the match, as he remains on bereavement leave since Tuesday.
Bayern enters the weekend leading the Bundesliga table by one point over Freiburg. The defending champions play their next Champions League match on November 3 against Atletico Madrid in Madrid.
