Vincent Kompany Under Medical Care After Collapsing at Bayern Training Ground

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany was taken to a hospital in Munich on Friday after collapsing at the club's training ground, and he will remain under medical care, the club said. Bayern said his coaching staff will handle all training and match-related work for now, with the team due to travel to Freiburg on Sunday.

The club has not disclosed what caused the collapse. Kompany, a 40-year-old Belgian, had been dealing with a virus in recent days, according to Al Jazeera and Goal.

What the club and the reports say happened

According to Al Jazeera, Bayern said Kompany needed medical attention after collapsing during a session of the club's reserve team, which he had been watching. The club said he is undergoing a thorough examination in the hospital.

Goal, citing the German newspaper Bild, reported that Kompany fainted at the Säbener Strasse training ground and was taken away by ambulance. Bild said the incident came after he stopped to watch part of the under-23 session, once the first team had finished training. A helicopter had landed at the training ground shortly beforehand, Goal and Bavarian Football Works reported. Bavarian Football Works, which also cited Bild, said the coach collapsed after the day's training session and was taken straight to the hospital. Reports differ slightly on the exact moment and setting of the collapse, and the club has not given a diagnosis.

Max Eberl, Bayern's board member for sport, said Kompany's health is the club's top priority. He said the club will do everything it can to support a speedy recovery and that Kompany will be given as much time as he needs.

A week of illness before the collapse

Goal reported that the virus took hold of Kompany days earlier and that he kept working through it. It said he led Bayern to a 6-1 win over Leipzig last Saturday, and that, according to the report, he briefly lay down on a sofa in the dressing room at the Allianz Arena at half-time and after the final whistle. After resting briefly, Goal said, he began analyzing clips of the match on his laptop while the sporting directors handled interviews.

Goal also reported that Kompany missed training on Monday. Sport Bild reported that he underwent a new comprehensive medical examination, overseen by doctors including team physician Professor Roland Schmidt.

Kompany missed the final training session and the pre-match news conference before Bayern's Champions League game against Arsenal, according to Goal and Al Jazeera. Goal said his assistant, 43-year-old Aaron Danks, spoke to the media in his place. Kompany was back on the bench for the game, which ended 2-2.

Afterward, he said he had not listened to his body when he first caught the virus. At some point, he said, his body told him “enough is enough.”

What this means for Bayern and its fans

For the team, the immediate effect is on who leads it. Bayern said Kompany's coaching staff will manage all training and match operations for the time being. The club has not said whether Kompany will be available for Sunday's Bundesliga game at SC Freiburg, and Bavarian Football Works noted that there is no confirmed information on how long he will be out.

Bayern lead the Bundesliga, according to Al Jazeera. The club has not said how long Kompany's absence might last or how his duties would be divided beyond the coaching staff taking over. For supporters, the main open question is the coach's health, and the club has so far offered no details on his condition.

What happens next

Kompany remains in the hospital for examination. Bayern are due to travel to Freiburg on Sunday for their Bundesliga match. The club has not said when it will give another update on the coach's condition.

Around Prague, based on reporting by Bavarian Football Works, Goal.com, Al Jazeera

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