Kompany discharged from hospital after meningeal irritation diagnosis ends training collapse scare

Vincent Kompany has been discharged from hospital after collapsing while watching Bayern Munich’s second team train on Friday, with the club’s director of sport Max Eberl confirming the 40-year-old was diagnosed with meningeal irritation.

Eberl delivered the update before Bayern’s 6-1 DFB Pokal thrashing of Magdeburg at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday night — five days after Kompany’s collapse. “Given the circumstances, he’s doing well,” Eberl told German broadcaster ARD. “He was discharged from the hospital today. That is the biggest and best news for all of us.”

Eberl added that Kompany would rest and take medication before returning to work. “It’s a meningeal irritation that caused this incident on Friday. I am certain that he will very soon be back on the touchline, operating at 100 per cent.”

The prognosis marks a significant improvement from Friday’s initial assessment, when Eberl had warned it would be “weeks, not days” before the Belgian — who had been ill with a virus — could return to his duties.

In Kompany’s absence, Englishman Aaron Danks stepped in as caretaker, overseeing a 3-1 Bundesliga win at Freiburg on Saturday before Wednesday’s cup victory over Magdeburg.

The news comes at a pivotal moment for the Bundesliga champions. Bayern sit top of the table on goal difference, level on points with Borussia Dortmund ahead of Saturday’s Der Klassiker at the Allianz Arena — a fixture that could define the early shape of the title race.

Company’s condition also drew a personal touch earlier in the week: Harry Kane revealed after collecting the Ballon d’Or in London on Monday night that Kompany had telephoned him that morning to wish him luck.