Vincent Kompany, Bayern Munich’s coach, is the only player suspended for the first leg of the Champions League semi-final this Tuesday evening at the Parc des Princes (kick-off at 9 pm, CET) against Paris Saint-Germain (return leg on May 6). This is very different from a player’s absence, but UEFA rules, explained by Bild and summarized by Touchline, mean that it can have a real impact.
• Kompany will still travel with the squad to the stadium, arriving by team bus roughly 90 minutes before kickoff.
• Once the bus arrives, he must immediately separate from the players and is not permitted to enter the dressing room.
• He can take part in media duties, provided he does not have any contact with the team. • During the game, he will watch from a private box, where a UEFA official will be present to ensure the suspension rules are followed.
• Any form of communication via mobile phone is strictly forbidden, a regulation UEFA has enforced firmly in past cases.
While suspended coaches are sometimes seen remaining quite close to the sidelines or easily in contact with their assistants via phone, there are also clear restrictions. These begin even before they reach the locker room.
Kompany will have no further contact with his squad after leaving the bus, a rare and potentially significant break. It should be noted, however, that the game plan is well known to the players and assistants. Any necessary adjustments could prove somewhat complicated to implement.
