Bayern Munich Coach Out for Weeks as Deputy Prepares Freiburg Match

Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany is expected to miss multiple weeks of work while he recovers from a virus, leaving his assistant to manage the club’s immediate schedule. The 40-year-old collapsed on the training pitch on Friday, forcing the club to postpone its second team match that day. He is currently in a hospital bed in a stable condition.

Max Eberl, the club’s director of sport, told a news conference on Saturday that medical examinations are ongoing to determine the specific nature of the illness. Eberl stated that the club has not set a fixed recovery timeline because it first needs to understand the problem. He emphasized that the absence will be measured in weeks rather than days.

"Vinnie will be given all the time he needs. We're not starting to put together any timeframes," Eberl said. He added that the staff intends to discuss recovery calmly once the diagnosis is clear.

Aaron Danks, the English assistant coach, will take charge of Sunday’s Bundesliga match at Freiburg. Danks led the news conference in Kompany’s place and confirmed that he spoke briefly with the head coach on Friday. He said the conversation was focused on Kompany’s health rather than tactical details.

"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 noted that all football operations remain in the hands of the coaching staff, who will work together to keep the club moving forward.

Eberl said the club decided against seeking a postponement for the Freiburg fixture. He argued that a strong performance and a positive result would be the best way to support Kompany’s recovery. "That would probably be one of the best things we could do to help him recover," he said.

Danks also announced that Germany captain Joshua Kimmich will miss the game. Kimmich has been on bereavement leave since Tuesday. Kompany had returned to the dugout for Wednesday’s home match against Arsenal despite missing the pre-match press event due to the virus. He later admitted he ignored warning signs, stating, "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 leads the Bundesliga table by one point before Sunday’s match and faces Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on November 3.