Bayern chief warns Kompany recovery will take weeks after manager hospitalised

Vincent Kompany is stable in hospital after collapsing at Bayern Munich’s training ground on Friday, with the club’s director of sport Max Eberl confirming the 40-year-old manager faces a recovery measured in weeks rather than days. An air ambulance landed at the facility after Kompany fell ill, just two days after he had overseen Bayern’s 2-2 Champions League draw with Arsenal.

Eberl addressed the media on Saturday, stressing that no firm timeline would be set until doctors had a clearer picture of what caused the collapse. Kompany had been dealing with a viral infection in the days leading up to Wednesday’s European tie, raising questions about whether he should have been on the touchline at all.

“Vinnie will be given all the time he needs. We’re not starting to put together any timeframes,” Eberl said. “We won’t be talking about days, but weeks. We need to all be clear on that.”

Eberl defended the club’s handling of Kompany’s condition ahead of the Arsenal match, saying Bayern could not override their manager’s own judgment about his fitness. “If a coach says he feels ready to do something, then we’re not going to say ‘we won’t allow that’ if we don’t know what’s going on,” he said. “Vinnie’s a hard worker. If you don’t listen to the subtle signals your body sends, eventually it will scream out in pain. We’ll continue to try, even more than before, to protect him from himself.”

Eberl added that he had spoken with both Kompany and his wife, and that the manager would remain in hospital for several more days while examinations continued. “The examinations have already yielded some results, but further results are needed to classify what it is and how long it will take for him to recover,” he said.

Assistant manager Aaron Danks will take charge of Bayern’s Bundesliga fixture against Freiburg on Sunday. Danks confirmed he had visited Kompany in hospital but kept the conversation strictly personal. “I explained to him that we would be having no football conversations,” Danks said. “It was just checking in on his health and making sure he’s OK.”