Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany will be absent from the touchline for several weeks after collapsing during a training session, with sporting director Max Eberl assuring that the club will give him sufficient time to recover.
Kompany collapsed on Friday as Bayern prepared for Sunday’s Bundesliga clash away to Freiburg. The club subsequently confirmed that the former Manchester City and Belgium defender was stable and undergoing medical examinations in hospital.
His assistant, Aaron Danks, is expected to take charge of the team for the weekend fixture.
Eberl, who ruled out requesting a postponement of Sunday’s match, said Bayern would prioritise Kompany’s health and allow him to return only when fully fit.
“The good news is he’s stable, and we’ve spoken,” Eberl said. “It wasn’t a pleasant moment for any of us.
“He’s in the hospital and will stay for a few days until everything has been checked out. This just goes to show that health is the most important thing in life—not football.
“We at Bayern Munich are all in this together. The most important thing is finding the cause. He shouldn’t come back until he’s fit – we have to protect him. He is in the best hands.
“Vinnie will be given all the time he needs; we’re not setting any timeframes. We need to figure out what it is. Then we can calmly consider what the recovery time means.
“We’re not talking about days, but weeks – everyone should be clear about that.
“The coaching staff isn’t considering changing anything. They all have Vinnie’s spirit with them. That’s how we’ll approach the next few weeks.”
Bayern head into the Freiburg encounter following a 2-2 draw against Arsenal in the Champions League during the week.
The German champions have collected 14 points from their opening six Bundesliga matches and entered the seventh round at the top of the standings.
Freiburg, meanwhile, sit third with 13 points, just one behind Bayern. They suffered a 2-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen last weekend before losing 3-0 to Monaco in the Europa League on Thursday.
Despite Kompany’s absence, Bayern will look to maintain their position at the summit while their head coach undergoes further medical examinations and begins his recovery.
