FC Bayern München must manage their upcoming fixtures without sport director Max Eberl, who has contracted a cold and is confined to bed rest, SPORT1 reported on October 26, 2026. The 53-year-old executive was forced to cancel his planned travel to London for the Ballon d’Or gala, leaving the German record champions short-handed on the executive level during a turbulent stretch for the club.
Travel Plans Interrupted as Executive Suite Thinned
Eberl’s sudden illness prevents him from joining a high-powered club delegation that flew out from Oberpfaffenhofen airport on a private jet for the awards ceremony at the London Palladium. According to Bild, board boss Jan-Christian Dreesen and club president Herbert Hainer made the trip to England alongside several nominated players and staff members. Eberl told Bild on Sunday that he would watch the broadcast from home and cheer on the club’s candidates, specifically endorsing Harry Kane’s credentials for the main prize, stating Er hat alles dafür getan, um es zu werden. Und für mich gibt es keine Zweifel. Aber ich habe keine Stimme deswegen. Ich werde es anschauen und werde ihm die Daumen drücken.
Harry Kane himself commented on the anticipation, noting Klar könnte Montag eine ganz spezielle Nacht werden. Ich versuche, nicht zu viel darüber nachzudenken. Aber natürlich ist es eine riesige Sache. Ich freue mich darauf und hoffe, dass es für mich speziell wird! Aus meiner Sicht würde ich es natürlich gern vorher wissen, um nicht die ganze Nacht warten zu müssen. Aber das ist ihre Entscheidung, darauf habe ich keinen Einfluss. Wir müssen es einfach genießen und versuchen, uns nicht zu sehr zu stressen.
Unlike head coach Vincent Kompany—who remains hospitalized in Munich following a collapse during an amateur training session on Friday—Eberl’s condition is not viewed with severe medical alarm. Kompany’s condition is stable. FC Bayern announced that their sport director simply needs to recover from his cold, though the club has not specified how many days he will remain sidelined from office duties, as noted by t-online.
Nominees in London While Leadership Watches from Afar
The absence of both Kompany and Eberl leaves the club’s sporting leadership off-site during a high-profile international showcase. Four Bayern men’s players earned nominations for the men’s Ballon d’Or: Harry Kane, Michael Olise, Dayot Upamecano, and Luis Díaz, alongside young talent nominee Lennart Karl and women’s nominees Klara Bühl, Momoko Tanikawa, and Pernille Harder, as detailed by Bild. Kane enters the gala as one of the primary favorites to lift the golden ball. Other members of the traveling party included media director Stefan Mennerich.
Perez not attending. Eberl not attending.Madrid and France believe Mbappe will win The Ballon D’or. Bayern and Barcelona believe Kane will win The Ballon D’or.I genuinely think no one knows. For once.
The leadership vacuum coincides with an already depleted squad availability sheet. During Sunday’s 3:1 Bundesliga away victory against SC Freiburg, the team played without Manuel Neuer, Aleksandar Pavlović, and the grieving Joshua Kimmich, while Luis Díaz continues rehabilitation for a muscle fiber tear.
Uncertain Recovery Timeline Ahead of DFB-Pokal Fixture
The club has not released a definitive return date for Eberl, leaving his availability for the upcoming domestic cup schedule unconfirmed. FC Bayern faces Magdeburg in the second round of the DFB-Pokal on Wednesday evening, with kickoff scheduled for 20:45 CET, according to t-online’s match coverage tracking. While Kompany is expected to miss several weeks of active coaching while under medical observation, the sport director’s absence is anticipated to be of much shorter duration. Until his return, his coaching team will take over operations.
