Bayern Coach Out Weeks After Collapse

Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany will be absent for weeks, not days, the club said on Saturday. The 40-year-old is currently in a hospital receiving treatment for a virus after collapsing on the training pitch the previous day.

Max Eberl, the club's director of sport, addressed reporters to confirm Kompany is in stable condition. Eberl stated that medical examinations are ongoing to determine the specific nature of the illness. He 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," Eberl said. The club aims to understand the medical issue before discussing a return date.

Aaron Danks, an English assistant coach, will manage the team for Sunday's Bundesliga match at Freiburg. Danks spoke at the press conference in Kompany's absence. He revealed he briefly contacted Kompany on Friday, focusing solely on the coach's health. "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 maintain the club's momentum.

The club postponed a second-team match on Friday following the incident. Eberl explained that the management did not seek to delay the upcoming league game against Freiburg. He argued that a strong performance and a positive result would be the best way to aid Kompany's recovery. "That would probably be one of the best things we could do to help him recover," he noted.

Danks confirmed that Joshua Kimmich, the German national team captain, will also miss the Freiburg match. Kimmich has been on bereavement leave since Tuesday. Kompany had returned to the sidelines for Wednesday's home game against Arsenal despite feeling unwell. He later admitted he ignored warning signs. "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!'

Bayern Munich enters Sunday's match as the Bundesliga leader, holding a one-point advantage over Freiburg. The defending champions will next play in the Champions League on November 3. That fixture is scheduled to take place in Madrid against Atletico.