KOMPANY NEEDS WEEKS TO RECOVER AS BAYERN CHIEF SAYS COACH MUST BE PROTECTED FROM HIMSELF

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany is expected to spend weeks recovering after collapsing at the club’s training ground on Friday.

The 40-year-old remains in a stable condition in hospital, where medical examinations are continuing.

Bayern sporting director Max Eberl said the club would give Kompany enough time to recover, with no return date set until doctors establish the cause of his collapse.

Kompany had been unwell with a virus and missed a pre-match news conference before Bayern’s Champions League game against Arsenal. He returned to the touchline for that match before later collapsing while watching the club’s second team train.

Eberl said Bayern would take greater care to prevent the hardworking coach from pushing himself too far, adding that Kompany needed to be protected from himself.

Assistant coach Aaron Danks and the remaining coaching staff are handling football duties during his absence.

Danks said he had spoken with Kompany in hospital, keeping their conversation focused on his wellbeing rather than football.

Bayern briefly considered requesting a postponement of their match against Freiburg, but decided to proceed while allowing their head coach to concentrate on recovery.