Bayern say Vincent Kompany stable after collapsing at training ground ahead of Freiburg match
Vincent Kompany, Bayern Munich’s head coach, collapsed at the club’s training ground on Friday ahead of the team’s match against SC Freiburg and was taken to hospital after on-site treatment, the club confirmed. Sporting director Max Eberl told reporters that Kompany is stable and communicating.
Club medics treated Kompany at the training ground and a medical helicopter reportedly attended before he was transferred to hospital by ambulance. Tests have shown he had been fighting a virus-related illness for several weeks and Kompany had attempted to push through those symptoms, which the club said contributed to the collapse. “The good news: He’s stable,” Eberl said. “We’ve spoken. It wasn’t a pleasant moment for any of us. He’s in the hospital and will stay for a few days until everything has been checked out. This just goes to show that health is the most important thing in life – not football. We at Bayern Munich are all in this together.”
Eberl said further diagnostic work is under way to identify the cause of the collapse and to determine appropriate treatment. “The most important thing is finding the cause. He shouldn’t come back until he’s fit. We have to protect him,” he said. “The doctors are doing nothing but finding out what it is. Further tests are needed to determine the appropriate treatment. He is in the best hands. We can support him energetically and with love.”
On the expected recovery timeline, Eberl warned the absence would not be measured in days. “Vinnie will be given all the time he needs; we’re not setting any timeframes. We need to figure out what it is. Then we can calmly consider what the recovery time means,” Eberl said. “We’re not talking about days, but weeks. Everyone should be clear about that. The coaching staff isn’t considering changing anything. They all have Vinnie’s spirit with them. That’s how we’ll approach the next few weeks.”
Assistant coach Aaron Danks will take charge of first-team duties in Kompany’s absence; the pair previously worked together at Anderlecht before reuniting at Bayern in 2024. Danks said: “We spoke briefly last night and I made it clear that we weren't talking about football, it was just about making sure he's okay. The football operations are in our hands now. We'll try to help the…”.
Bayern said Danks will be in the dugout for the match against SC Freiburg on Sunday, with a DFB-Pokal tie against Magdeburg and a Bundesliga derby with Borussia Dortmund scheduled to follow. The club added Danks is also likely to lead the team for the UEFA Champions League meeting with Atletico Madrid on November 3 and the Bundesliga fixture at Mainz on November 7.
The club indicated Kompany could return following the November international break but stressed the recovery timetable is uncertain while further tests continue to establish the cause and treatment. Danks will manage the immediate fixtures beginning with Sunday’s trip to Freiburg, while Kompany remains in hospital for a few days as medical investigations proceed and the club prepares for his multi-week absence.