Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany is set to spend weeks in recovery after collapsing at the club's training ground on Friday, according to director of sport Max Eberl. The 40-year-old former Manchester City and Belgium defender remains in a stable condition in hospital, where medical examinations are continuing to take place.
Kompany fell ill while watching Bayern's second team train, having previously struggled with a virus that caused him to miss Tuesday's pre-match press conference ahead of their Champions League tie against Arsenal. Despite that illness, Kompany was on the touchline for Wednesday's fixture. Eberl admitted the club must protect the manager from his own demanding work ethic, stating: "Vinnie will be given all the time he needs. We're not starting to put together any timeframes. We need to firstly figure out what it is and then we'll discuss calmly what the recovery time is to be. We won't be talking about days, but weeks. We need to all be clear on that."
Bayern contemplated requesting a postponement of Sunday's Bundesliga clash away at Freiburg, but determined that the best tonic for Kompany would be to play and be successful. Assistant coach Aaron Danks confirmed he spoke with Kompany in hospital to check on his health, noting that all football discussions were avoided. Danks added that the coaching staff now has all football operations in their hands as they work together to keep the club moving forward.
Kompany took charge at Bayern Munich in May 2024 and has already led the German giants to consecutive Bundesliga titles, following an 11-year playing stint at Manchester City and a managerial spell with Burnley. Bayern currently sit joint top of the table after securing four wins from their first six games as they pursue a third successive league title.