Bayern Munich returned to the top of the Bundesliga with a 3-1 victory at Freiburg on Sunday, overcoming a depleted squad and the absence of coach Vincent Kompany, who remains hospitalised after collapsing during training.
Dayot Upamecano and Serge Gnabry scored in the first half to put Bayern in control, but Freiburg threatened a late comeback after pulling a goal back. Michael Olise eventually sealed the victory in stoppage time, capitalising on goalkeeper Mio Backhaus’s advanced position to slot into an unguarded net.
Kompany is being treated in hospital for an unidentified virus, with Bayern saying on Saturday that the Belgian coach was expected to be sidelined for “days, not weeks”.
Despite his absence, assistant coach Aaron Danks revealed that Kompany had sent him a congratulatory message after the match.
“I just opened my phone to a message from Vince saying ‘well done’ and he was happy,” Danks told DAZN.
“I just replied saying ‘brilliant — now go rest’. I sent him a kissing emoji, so hopefully he rests up.”
Bayern sporting director Max Eberl said Kompany’s condition was stable, although doctors had yet to establish a definitive diagnosis.
“He’s stable. He no longer has a headache. He’s now undergoing a thorough examination. Everything is being handled,” Eberl said.
“There’s no diagnosis, nothing final yet.”
The victory lifted Bayern above Borussia Dortmund into first place ahead of their crucial meeting in Munich next week.
Harry Kane came close to adding a fourth late in the second half, forcing a save from close range, but the England captain failed to score on the eve of the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London, where he was among the favourites.
Bayern travelled to the Black Forest following a turbulent few days that left them without several key figures. With Kompany still in hospital after collapsing on Friday, Danks took charge from the dugout.
The visitors were also without injured captain Manuel Neuer, Luis Diaz, Jamal Musiala, Aleksandar Pavlovic and Kim Min-jae. Midfielder and Germany captain Joshua Kimmich was absent on bereavement leave following the sudden death of his father.
Freiburg applied early pressure, forcing Bayern into the unusual position of sitting deep and absorbing attacks. However, the visitors struck first in the 16th minute when Upamecano launched and completed a sweeping counter-attack.
The France defender won possession near his own penalty area, exchanged passes with Olise and surged forward before calmly slotting past Backhaus.
Bayern doubled their advantage just before half-time when Gnabry collected a pass from Nathaniel Brown and nutmegged the Freiburg goalkeeper to find the net.
With 10 minutes remaining, Kane forced Backhaus into a close-range save, triggering an immediate Freiburg counter-attack that ended with Tom Bischof turning the ball into his own net.
The goal galvanised the hosts, and Bayern goalkeeper Jonas Urbig was forced to make crucial late saves to deny Igor Matanovic as Freiburg pushed for an equaliser.
But with Backhaus venturing high up the pitch in search of a late breakthrough, Olise intercepted possession and calmly rolled the ball into the empty net to secure Bayern’s victory.
Hoffenheim end Leverkusen’s winning run
Hoffenheim scored three times in the final 11 minutes to secure a 3-0 home victory over Bayer Leverkusen, ending the visitors’ six-match winning streak and recording the 1,000th Bundesliga goal in the club’s history.
Hoffenheim, who defeated Lyon by the same scoreline in the Europa League on Thursday, have now won three consecutive matches.
The best opportunity of a quiet first half fell to former Leverkusen forward Adam Hlozek, who struck the post in the 38th minute.
With the contest seemingly heading towards a goalless draw, Leverkusen captain Edmond Tapsoba caught Fisnik Asllani’s ankle while defending a cross. Following a VAR review, the referee awarded a penalty.
Andrej Kramaric converted from the spot in the 79th minute, scoring Hoffenheim’s landmark 1,000th league goal and putting the hosts on course for victory.
Leverkusen pushed forward in search of an equaliser, leaving themselves exposed to counter-attacks. Alexander Prass capitalised to score Hoffenheim’s second, but was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for removing his shirt during the celebrations. The midfielder left the pitch visibly frustrated, slapping his forehead in disbelief.
Despite being reduced to 10 men, Hoffenheim added a third in the sixth minute of stoppage time through Max Moerstedt to complete an emphatic victory.
