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Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany has returned to the club’s training ground for the first time since collapsing last month, taking an initial step towards resuming his coaching duties.
The 40-year-old Belgian arrived at Bayern’s Säbener Straße training complex shortly after 10am on Tuesday, according to German media reports.
Kompany worked from his office, held discussions with assistant coach Floribert Ngalula and sporting director Christoph Freund, and watched injured players undergo a recovery session.
However, his return to the facility does not mean he has fully resumed work. He is expected to return to the dugout after the international break, with Bayern scheduled to host Cologne on November 20.
The former Manchester City captain collapsed on October 23 while watching a training session involving Bayern’s reserve team. He was taken to hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with meningeal irritation, an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
He was subsequently discharged and continued his recovery at home.
During his absence, assistant coach Aaron Danks took charge of the first team, guiding Bayern through four victories and a 2-2 draw against Borussia Dortmund.
The German champions defeated Freiburg, Magdeburg, Atletico Madrid and Mainz under Danks, maintaining their momentum while their manager recovered.
Danks had earlier disclosed that Bayern’s management instructed him to keep football-related discussions away from Kompany to allow him to concentrate on his health and family.
“I have clear instructions from Max [Eberl] and Christoph [Freund] not to engage in discussions, first of all, and to keep Vince focused on nothing other than his health and spending time with his family,” he said.
“We want him to rest and recover properly so that, when he returns, he is fully fit and can help us in the best possible way. We are being very strict here and keeping football completely out of it.”
Kompany’s father, Pierre, had also raised concerns about his son’s demanding work schedule in an interview with German newspaper Bild, revealing that the Bayern manager often worked up to 18 hours a day.
“He works 18 hours a day most days and, on a typical day, barely sees his children,” Pierre said, describing a routine that often saw his son arrive at the training ground early and leave late.
Kompany is expected to resume touchline duties when Bayern welcome Cologne on November 20, provided his recovery progresses as planned.
