Bayern Munich have been dealt a fresh blow off the pitch. Vincent Kompany could be absent for several weeks after a sudden health episode forced his urgent transfer to a hospital in Munich.
Concern spread through the Bavarian club after the 40-year-old Belgian collapsed suddenly on Friday while watching the under-23 side, coached by Dante, train. He had earlier attended part of the first team's session.
Paramedics rushed to the scene before a helicopter was called to fly him to hospital, an incident that sparked major fears at the club. The early signs were reassuring, though, with reports stating Kompany's condition is stable.
Absence stretching to weeks: Bayern refuse to take a risk
Max Eberl, Bayern Munich's sporting director, complicated the picture further. He told "Sky Sport Germany" that the coach's absence will not be limited to a few days but will stretch to several weeks.
"It will not be a matter of days, but weeks," Eberl said, explaining that Kompany will remain in hospital for several days. He had been in contact with the coach and his wife after the incident to check on his condition.
For now, Bayern are putting their coach's wellbeing above everything else. They would rather give him enough time to recover and undergo the necessary examinations than rush to fix a date for his return.
The episode comes after Kompany recently suffered a viral infection and pain in the hip area, which forced him to miss some training sessions and a press conference. The exact causes of the latest incident remain unknown, pending the completion of the medical examinations.
His assistant takes charge in the coach's absence
Englishman Aaron Danks, the assistant coach, will take charge of the team in the coming period. He begins with a clash against Freiburg in the Bundesliga this weekend.
Danks has done the job before. He covered Kompany's absence during the Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain last season.
Important fixtures await Bayern Munich, but the club will not pressure their coach into a quick return. The priority is for him to fully regain his health before thinking about resuming his technical duties.