Bayern Munich have cautioned that Vincent Kompany may remain away from the touchline for several weeks as the club’s head coach continues receiving hospital treatment for a viral illness.

The Belgian manager was hospitalised after collapsing during a training session on Friday. Bayern sporting director Max Eberl, speaking on Saturday, said the 40-year-old was in a stable condition, although doctors were still conducting examinations to establish the full extent of his illness.

Eberl stressed that the club would not rush Kompany’s recovery, explaining that the priority was to determine the cause of his condition before discussing when he could return to work. He indicated that the absence was likely to last weeks rather than days.

With Kompany unavailable, his English assistant, Aaron Danks, will take charge of Bayern’s Bundesliga encounter against Freiburg on Sunday. Danks said his recent conversation with the manager focused entirely on his health, adding that the coaching staff would handle the team’s football responsibilities in his absence.

Bayern have also ruled out postponing the Freiburg fixture. Eberl said a strong performance and a positive result would be among the best ways the team could support their recovering coach.

The club’s second-team fixture was postponed following Kompany’s collapse. Meanwhile, Germany captain Joshua Kimmich will also miss Sunday’s match after taking bereavement leave earlier in the week.

Kompany had returned to the dugout for Wednesday’s home Champions League meeting with Arsenal despite missing the pre-match press conference because of the virus. After the match, he admitted that he had pushed himself to continue working despite being seriously unwell, eventually reaching a point where his body could no longer cope.

Bayern remain top of the Bundesliga standings ahead of the Freiburg clash, holding a one-point advantage over their opponents. Their next Champions League assignment is scheduled for November 3, when they travel to Spain to face Atletico Madrid.