Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany was taken to hospital on Friday, 23 October 2026, after collapsing while he watched a training session of the club's reserve team. In a statement carried by the Guardian, the Bundesliga leaders said the Belgian was undergoing a thorough examination and would remain under medical care, with his coaching staff running all training and match-related work for the time being.
Kompany, 40, had been fighting a virus for close to a week. VnExpress, citing Bild and Sky, reported that a rescue helicopter landed at the club's training grounds before he was taken to a Munich hospital by ambulance, and that Sky described his condition as stable.
What Bayern said
Bayern's statement, as published by the Guardian: “Vincent Kompany required medical attention after collapsing during a training session for Bayern's reserve team. The head coach of the professional squad had been observing the second team's session.”
Sporting director Max Eberl added: “Vincent Kompany's health is our top priority. At Bayern, we will do everything we can to ensure he makes a speedy recovery.” Eberl also said Kompany was receiving all the medical care he needed and would be given as much time as necessary.
No cause for the collapse has been given, and there is no timeline for his return. VnExpress cautioned that the helicopter alone says little about how serious his condition is: in Germany, emergency doctors are often flown in to reach a patient quickly, with an ambulance then doing the transfer.
Timeline: a week of coaching through illness
Compiled by KBVN+ from VnExpress, the Guardian and Bongda24h:
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 17 October | Bayern beat RB Leipzig 6-1 in the Bundesliga. Kompany spoke to the players before kick-off but spent most of the game seated, with assistant Aaron Danks doing most of the touchline work |
| Monday 19 October | Kompany missed training |
| Before the Arsenal game | He missed the final session and Danks took the pre-match press conference |
| Wednesday 21 October | Kompany was on the bench for the 2-2 Champions League draw with Arsenal |
| Friday 23 October | He collapsed while watching the reserves and was taken to hospital |
According to VnExpress, Danks said after the Leipzig win that the illness had affected Kompany's legs and left him in pain; the coach rested in the dressing room at half-time and after the match and left the interviews to Bayern's sporting executives. After the Arsenal draw, Kompany admitted he had worked too much and slept too little, and that he had not listened to his body after catching a fairly heavy virus the week before, VnExpress and Bongda24h reported.
Kompany has been in charge at Bayern since 2024, when he left Burnley.
What comes next
Bayern are due at Freiburg in the Bundesliga at 23:30 Vietnam time on 25 October 2026. In the table Bongda24h published before the weekend round, Freiburg were third on 13 points, one behind Bayern and Borussia Dortmund, who both had 14 from six games. Bongda24h said it was unclear whether Kompany would be fit to take charge. For now his staff will run the team. Our report on Bayern's last match: Bayern Munich 2-2 Arsenal.