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Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl has issued an update on Vincent Kompany’s condition after the head coach collapsed at the club’s training ground on Friday (October 23).
Kompany was watching an FC Bayern reserve team training session when he collapsed before being taken to hospital, with the German club issuing the following statement shortly after the incident: “Vincent Kompany had to seek medical treatment on Friday after collapsing during training for FC Bayern's amateurs.
“The first-team coach had been watching the second team's session. Kompany will undergo a thorough examination in the hospital and remain in medical care. For the time being, his coaching staff will manage training and match operations."
On Saturday (October 24), a positive update emerged, with sporting director Max Eberl explaining that Kompany is “stable” but will remain in hospital for “a few more days”.
Eberl said: “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. 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, and can recover in peace.
"He'll only come back when he's fit. 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. He’s in the best hands. The best thing we can do is support him emotionally with energy and love.”
Eberl also revealed that Bayern had considered asking the Bundesliga to postpone the side’s trip to Freiburg on Sunday (October 25), before adding that the best thing for Kompany would be “to play and be successful”.
He continued: "For the U23s, it happened while they were training, so they experienced it first-hand. For 17- and 18-year-old boys, that's quite something – many of them haven’t had to deal with anything negative before. Some things just happen. The boys were a bit overwhelmed; that’s only human.
“Thanks to Vilzing and the Bavarian Football Association for being so quick to say: ‘Let’s postpone the match.’ There are more important things than football. These things weigh on us as human beings. The most important thing is that we’re healthy. Everyone looks out for one another; that’s what defines FC Bayern.
"We’re there for each other and for everyone else who’s affected by this.”
The sporting director then made clear that Kompany would get “all the time” he needs to recover and that no timeframe would be set for his return to work.
Eberl finished: “We need to find out what the issue is, and then it’s a question of what the recovery time will be. We're not talking in terms of days, but weeks. We’re all clear on that. “And we have such a fantastic coaching staff, led by Vinnie. But our success is down to an outstanding team behind the scenes. There’s absolutely no thought of changing anything. 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."
Kompany had been suffering from a viral infection over the past few weeks, although he remained in the dugout for Bayern’s 6-1 win over RB Leipzig last weekend and the 2-2 draw against Arsenal in the Champions League earlier this week.