Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany was hospitalized on Friday after collapsing during a training session at the club’s facilities. The 40-year-old Belgian, a former Manchester City and Belgium defender, was rushed to a hospital by ambulance and remains in stable condition as medical examinations continue.
Sporting director Max Eberl told reporters on Saturday that Kompany’s recovery would take weeks, not days, and that the club would not set a timeline until the cause of his collapse was determined. “Vinnie will be given all the time he needs,” Eberl said. “We need to firstly figure out what it is and then we’ll discuss calmly what recovery time is to be.” Eberl also noted that Kompany had recently suffered a viral infection, which may have contributed to the incident.
Kompany had missed a pre-match press conference on Tuesday due to the virus but returned to the dugout for Wednesday’s Champions League draw with Arsenal. After that match, he acknowledged pushing through the illness. “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!’” he said.
The club did not postpone Sunday’s Bundesliga match against Freiburg, with Eberl stating that a strong performance would aid Kompany’s recovery. English assistant coach Aaron Danks will lead the team in his absence. Danks confirmed that he had spoken briefly with Kompany on Friday but only to check on his health, not to discuss football.
Bayern’s honorary president Uli Hoeneß visited Kompany in the hospital on Saturday, bringing food and offering support. Hoeneß told *Bild* he had been shocked by the news of the collapse. The club’s second team postponed its match on Friday following the incident, but the first team’s fixture against Freiburg will proceed as scheduled.
