Bayern coach Kompany to remain in hospital, will be out for weeks

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany is stable, but will have to spend several more days in hospital and will be missing for weeks after collapsing at their training centre on Friday, board member for sport Max Eberl has said.

Eberl said on Saturday that Kompany will only return once he is fully fit again, saying that "we're not talking in terms of days, but weeks. We're all clear on that."

The coaching staff takes over and assistant Aaron Danks is in charge for the time being at matches, starting with Sunday's Bundesliga date at Freiburg which Eberl said Bayern didn't consider postponing.

Kompany, 40, had been suffering from a virus lately and collapsed while watching a training session of Bayern's reserves. He was taken to hospital and Eberl and Danks provided updates on Saturday.

"The good news is he's stable. I spoke with him last night, with his wife too. It wasn't a nice moment for all of us, he collapsed on the pitch yesterday and will spend a few more days in hospital until everything is checked over," Eberl said. 

"It shows again how health is the most important thing in life - not football. So, all of us send our best well-wishes. We as FC Bayern stand together. The most important thing is that the cause is established and he gets fit again. He'll only come back when he's fit."

Eberl said that doctors are "doing nothing but trying to find out what it is. The tests have already yielded some results, but further results are needed to determine exactly what it is and how long it will take for him to recover. I'm not a doctor. But we can support him with energy and love."

The reserve team's match scheduled for Saturday was postponed because the players were shaken after seeing Kompany collapse.

Eberl said they didn't consider asking for a postponement of the Freiburg match for which he confirmed midfielder Joshua Kimmich to be missing as well due to a passing in his immediate family. In addition, Jamal Musiala is not fit yet and Kim Minjae injured.

"It's a difficult situation, we're only human," Danks said. 

"You can't predict a situation like this, but I've come to know how strong the boys are, how strong their winning mentality is. We've created a family unit over the years, and Vinnie's played a big part in that. We're relying on that now and obviously it will help us in this situation."

Champions Bayern top the table ahead of Borussia Dortmund on goal difference and Freiburg and Bayer Leverkusen are one point behind.

They play Dortmund next week and face a difficult trip to Atlético Madrid in the Champions League on November 3, but Eberl said the club has full faith in the coaching staff.

"All the guys here are outstanding - and so, in the spirit of Vinnie, which everyone carries within them, we can all tackle the coming weeks," Eberl said.