Kompany was taken to hospital after collapsing while observing the club’s second team training. He had previously been unwell with a virus, which caused him to miss the pre-match press conference on Tuesday for Bayern’s Champions League encounter against Arsenal. Despite his illness, Kompany was present on the touchline for the match held on Wednesday.
Eberl stated that the club had considered requesting a postponement for Sunday’s Bundesliga fixture against Freiburg but ultimately decided against it. “We believed the best tonic for Kompany would be to ‘play and be successful’,” Eberl said. However, he clarified that no specific timeframe had been set for the coach’s return, emphasizing that the focus is first on diagnosing the issue. “We won’t be talking about days, but weeks. We need to be all clear on that.”
The director of sport expressed regret that the club did not intervene earlier when Kompany showed signs of illness. “Vinnie is a hard worker. If you don’t listen to the subtle signals your body sends, eventually it will scream out in pain,” Eberl noted. He added that Bayern would continue to work to “protect him from himself” during his recovery period.
Assistant coach Aaron Danks visited Kompany in the hospital, stating that the conversation focused solely on the boss’s health. “I explained to him that we would be having no football conversations,” Danks said. “All the football operations are in our hands and we’ll work together as a team to keep the club moving forward.”
Bayern Munich enter Sunday’s match at Freiburg sitting joint-top of the Bundesliga table. The team has recorded four wins from their opening six games this season as Kompany attempts to guide the club to a third consecutive league title. Kompany took over as Bayern manager in May 2024, following his tenure at Burnley, where he led the team to the Championship title in the 2022-23 season before their relegation. Prior to his managerial career, Kompany spent 11 years at Manchester City, winning four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and four League Cups.
Bayern Munich face SC Freiburg in the Bundesliga on Sunday. The club has not announced a specific return date for Kompany, with Eberl confirming that recovery will take “weeks.” No further medical details were provided beyond the statement that the player is in stable condition.
