Danks stands in for Kompany in Klassiker: 'We don't talk to him about football'
Bayern interim coach Aaron Danks is deliberately keeping the ill Vincent Kompany out of preparations for the Dortmund game. Manuel Neuer is out again.
Archive image · Photo: Richard Bartz, Munich aka Makro Freak / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5 (cropped and resized)
Bayern Munich assistant coach Aaron Danks on Friday ruled out discussing football with ill head coach Vincent Kompany ahead of Saturday's Klassiker against Borussia Dortmund (1730 GMT). Danks said he had "clear instructions" from board member for sport Max Eberl and sporting director Christoph Freund not to draw Kompany into any discussions. "It's only about his health, time with his family," said the Englishman, who is leading the team as interim coach.
Kompany was diagnosed with meningeal irritation after collapsing last week, according to Eberl. The 40-year-old has since been discharged from hospital and is meant to rest. "We miss him," Danks said. Dortmund coach Niko Kovac had suggested there would still be some form of contact.
Bayern will again be without goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who still has pain in his foot; the game comes "a little too early", Danks said. Jamal Musiala, Luis Diaz and Bara Ndiaye are also unavailable.