Vincent Kompany to miss Bayern’s clash with Arsenal due to legs-affecting virus

Vincent Kompany is touch and go to be in the Bayern Munich dugout against Arsenal at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday night as he battles a debilitating virus that has affected his legs. Kompany was unable to attend his team’s training session on Tuesday before the Champions League tie, ceding the responsibility for the pre-match press conference to his assistant, Aaron Danks.

Kompany has been told to rest after he struggled through Bayern’s 6-1 home win over RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga on Saturday, after which the club’s sporting director, Max Eberl, addressed the media instead of him. There have been reports in Germany that Kompany needed to lie down on his sofa at home after the Leipzig game and that the viral infection had affected an existing hip problem which meant he could hardly walk.

“It has affected his legs at times,” Danks confirmed. “He’s felt some pain in his legs. I’m not sure about the reports about him lying down on the couch. I think we can all have a lie down on the couch after a game. It’s just a virus. The doctors and experts know way more than I do. The most important thing we have encouraged is that he rests; he takes the time he needs – however long that may be.

“Unfortunately, I can’t give you any more – whether that’s tomorrow or whether that’s two or three days’ time. I don’t know. We just take it day-by-day and see how he is. Getting Vince to rest is a challenge. You know him as a person. He’s a real leader. He works hard.”

Danks will take the team against Arsenal if Kompany cannot make it, just as he did last season during the epic Champions League semi-final, first-leg against Paris Saint-Germain when Kompany was suspended. PSG won 5-4 at the Parc des Princes that night before progressing 6-5 on aggregate. They beat Arsenal in the final on penalties.

Birmingham-born Danks, who briefly took caretaker charge of Aston Villa in 2022 and has coached at various clubs including Anderlecht and Middlesbrough, said he would be in communication with Kompany “in some shape or form” if the manager was not able to come to the stadium.