Bayern Munich youngster Lennard Karl: No rush to start 2026–27, full fitness is the goal

Bayern Munich young attacker Lennard Karl (18) has made it clear that he is in no rush to return from injury. He will miss the World Cup and the start of the 2026–27 Bundesliga after suffering a torn ligament in his right hamstring during Germany's preparation for the 2026 World Cup.

In the 2025–26 season, Karl recorded 9 goals and 7 assists in 39 games, helping Vincent Kompany's Bayern Munich win the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal. He became the first Bayern player to be directly involved in at least 5 Bundesliga goals before the age of 18, and became the club's youngest Champions League goalscorer at 17 years and 242 days.

Bayern's Bundesliga fixtures for the 2026–27 season have yet to be released. Before that, on August 22, France will face Borussia Dortmund in the Beckenbauer Super Cup. However, Carl has a sobering view that "first the body has to fully cooperate; returning too soon is not ideal."

"It was very difficult in the early days to accept such a setback. Family, girlfriends, close friends, teammates — everyone's support kept me up. Everyone reminded me that injuries are part of the game; it's how you come back that matters," he told the club's website. Carl also said he is closely monitoring muscle response from daily consultations with the medical team and fitness trainers.

With Bayern's pre-season training set to begin on July 20, he stressed, "It's not possible to join the team immediately; it will take some time. The important thing now is not to rush and progress at the right pace."

Lennard Karl, who is currently undergoing treatment and rehabilitation, has gratefully accepted the support of the fans and has set his sights on returning to 100% fitness and hitting the field.

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