Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and midfielder Jamal Musiala continue to be absent from the German football team Bayern Munich, in its second round match in the German Cup scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, against Magdeburg.
Aaron Danks, Bayern's assistant coach, said in a press conference on Tuesday: “It is still early for Manuel Neuer and Jamal Musiala. The duo underwent treatment yesterday, we will have to wait and see. “We need to talk to the doctors and then we will see who is available.”
Neuer suffers from chronic inflammation in the tendons in his foot, while Musiala has not yet reached the required readiness after suffering a rupture in the muscle fibers.
Joshua Kimmich is also absent, but is expected to resume training this week after the loss of a family member.
Danks added that defender Kim Min-jae and midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic "are definitely a little closer to being fully fit."
Danks is leading the team during the absence of Vincent Kompany, the technical director, who has been in the hospital since last Friday, after he collapsed while following a training session for the reserve team.
“I stopped by to see Vincent briefly yesterday and he was in good spirits,” Danks said. Things seem to be getting better day by day. "There is no final diagnosis yet. He is very calm and is getting enough time to recover."
Bayern Munich is in a festive atmosphere after Harry Kane won the Ballon d'Or yesterday evening, Monday, and the team will seek to invest this positive momentum in the cup match, as well as in the upcoming confrontation against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, which will bring together the leaders of the German League (Bundesliga) table.
Danks said: “I cannot say that I was very confident, as he had to withstand top-class players, and the differences were very small. “We are working closely with him and we see the effort he is putting in, and I am very happy for him.”
He added: “As an Englishman, I am not completely neutral on this matter. But I see how much effort he puts in every day. I am very happy for him and for the club as well, as this reflects the values that the club stands for. He will now return to continue his usual path, characterized by his usual professionalism and humility.”
Aaron Danks, assistant coach of Bayern Munich, the defending champion of the German Football League, said on Tuesday that the condition of team coach Vincent Kompany is improving after he fell unconscious during training last week, and the date of his return has not yet been determined.
The Belgian coach was quickly transferred to the hospital on Friday after collapsing and fainting during a training session for the reserve team. He is expected to be away from his duties for several weeks.
Kompany (40 years old) had been suffering from a viral infection in recent days, and had missed some training sessions before his collapse.
Danks confirmed, in a press conference before facing Magdeburg in the second round of the German Cup, tomorrow, Wednesday: “I visited him for a short time yesterday.”
He added: “His morale is high.” It seems to be getting better day by day. There are no important developments regarding the diagnosis or return to work. Let him rest and take his time.”
The German champion faces a busy schedule of matches, as he will face Magdeburg tomorrow, before the summit match against his rival for the “Bundesliga” title, Borussia Dortmund, on Saturday, and then he will travel to Madrid, where he will be a guest against Atletico in the Champions League.
Danks said: “We had a good conversation (with Kompany), but we did not touch on football or specific plans. “It was a friendly conversation, and it was a pleasure to see him and check up on him.”
The assistant coach explained that the health concerns surrounding Kompany, in addition to Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane winning the Ballon d'Or on Monday, reflect a week full of mixed feelings for the team that showed the collective spirit necessary to continue its career.
Kane became the first English player to win this prestigious award in 25 years, after Michael Owen won it in 2001.
Danks continued: “We are very professional.” We have experienced extremes of contrast over the past week. “The joy and successes that Harry achieved, and the difficult circumstances that we went through in recent days.”
He continued: “To overcome these moments, we had to rely on our harmony and team spirit, and that certainly helped us.”
Frenchman Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid striker and captain of the French national team, on Tuesday offered a public apology for his statements regarding the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong, after he described him as a "dictator" in a video clip that was widely circulated, and sparked a wave of anger in China that led to the cancellation of advertising contracts linked to the French star.
According to the French newspaper "L'Equipe", Mbappe issued a statement through his accounts on social media platforms, in which he expressed his deep regret for what he described as unsuccessful statements, stressing that he did not intend to insult the Chinese people or their history.
Mbappe said in his statement: “I offer my apologies to all those who were hurt by my words. That was not my intention at all. “I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry.”
The player, who ranked second in the 2026 Ballon d'Or race, published his apology in three languages: French, English and Mandarin Chinese, in an attempt to contain the repercussions of the crisis that sparked widespread reactions within China.
Mbappe's apology came after a similar step by the Spanish League, which expressed its regret for the controversial statements, at a time when Chinese companies announced the end of their advertising links with the French star, against the backdrop of what it considered an insult to national sentiments.
The crisis goes back to the circulation of a video clip in which Mbappe appeared describing Mao Zedong as a “dictator,” before his statements turned into an issue that sparked widespread criticism in China and cast a shadow over his business relations in one of the largest global football markets.
