'Weeks, not days' in Kompany recovery, say Bayern

Bayern Munich anticipate their coach Vincent Kompany will be away from the team for a prolonged period while he undergoes hospital treatment for a virus after collapsing during training on Friday. Sporting director Max Eberl confirmed at a press conference on Saturday that Kompany remains in stable condition at the hospital. English assistant coach Aaron Danks will take over for Kompany in Sunday's Bundesliga match against Freiburg.

Eberl stated that examinations were ongoing to ascertain the nature of the former Manchester City and Belgium captain's condition, and a recovery timeline has yet to be set. Bayern emphasized that they will not discuss recovery timelines in weeks, but rather wait to determine the appropriate duration. Danks explained that he only checked in on Kompany's health briefly on Friday, avoiding football-related discussions.

The club decided not to postpone Sunday's Bundesliga game following Kompany's collapse, as they believe a win would be beneficial for his recovery. Danks added that Kimmich, Germany's captain on bereavement leave since Tuesday, would also miss Sunday's match. Kompany had previously returned to the bench for Wednesday's home game against Arsenal despite missing the pre-match press conference due to the virus.

After the match, he revealed that he ignored his body's signals and eventually realized he needed to rest. Bayern, currently at the top of the Bundesliga table, will face Freiburg on Sunday, aiming to maintain their lead. Their next Champions League encounter is scheduled for November 3 against Atletico Madrid in Madrid.