Orlando Pirates administrative manager Floyd Mbele has confirmed that assistant-coach Fadlu Davids will take charge of the team in Wednesday night's league match-up against Bloemfontein Celtic in the absence of head coach Josef Zinnbauer.

Zinnbauer departed hastily from OR Tambo International Airport on Saturday evening for Germany‚ because his son‚ Fabio is in a coma in hospital following a horror car accident in Nuremburg on October 23.

Zinnbauer departed straight from overseeing Pirates' 3-0 MTN8 semifinal first leg clash against Kaizer Chiefs at Orlando Stadium. Initially all Pirates would reveal was that the coach's son was in hospital.

A report in on the website of German newspaper Bild on Tuesday revealed Fabio Zinnbauer had been in a car accident and was in a coma. Given that news‚ understandably it does not seem the coach will return soon.

Mbele confirmed on Tuesday that Davids will take charge against Celtic‚ but would not answer whether there is any indication beyond that‚ or even to Sunday's semi-final second leg against Chiefs at FNB Stadium.

"Fadlu will be in charge [on Wednesday] against Celtic‚" was all the Bucs official would say.

Bild's report showed a photo of Fabio Zinnbauer's mangled Skoda Octavia under a truck trailer. "The 24-year-old Skoda driver is in mortal danger‚" the Bild report stated.

Pirates meet Celtic at Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium in Bloemfontein.