Bayern deputy leads Freiburg match as Kompany faces weeks in hospital

Vincent Kompany will miss several weeks of Bayern Munich matches while recovering from a viral infection, club officials confirmed on Saturday.

Director of Sport Max Eberl stated that Kompany is in a stable condition in a hospital setting. Medical examinations are ongoing to identify the specific virus, but no fixed return date has been established. Eberl emphasized that the absence is measured in weeks, not days, and that the club will wait for a clear diagnosis before planning the recovery timeline.

Aaron Danks, the English assistant coach, will lead the team for Sunday's Bundesliga match at Freiburg. Danks conducted the pre-match press conference in Kompany's place. He noted that he spoke with Kompany briefly on Friday, ensuring they avoided discussing football tactics. Danks said the conversation focused solely on Kompany's health. He added that all football operations are now in the hands of the coaching staff, who will work together to maintain the club's momentum.

Kompany had returned to the sideline for Wednesday's home match against Arsenal despite missing the pre-match media session due to illness. After that game, he admitted to ignoring warning signs from his body. He described the virus as nasty and noted that his body eventually forced him to stop. The incident led to the postponement of Bayern's second-team match on Friday.

Eberl explained that the club did not seek a postponement for the Freiburg fixture. He believed a strong performance and a positive result would be the best way to support Kompany's recovery. Danks also announced that Joshua Kimmich, the Germany captain, will miss the Freiburg game after being on bereavement leave since Tuesday.

Bayern Munich enters the match as the Bundesliga leader, holding a one-point advantage over Freiburg. The team's next major competition is a Champions League fixture in Madrid against Atletico Madrid on November 3.