Bayern rising star Karl will not rush return
Lennart Karl insists he will not rush his return from injury as he aims to regain full fitness for Bayern Munich.
The 18 year-old suffered a thigh injury during Germany's World Cup preparations, ruling him out of the tournament, while he could also miss the start of the Bundesliga season.
Karl scored nine goals and provided seven assists in 39 games for Bayern in 2025-2026, as Vincent Kompany's side won the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal.
He became the first Bayern player to be directly involved in at least five Bundesliga goals before turning 18, and became the club's youngest goalscorer in the Champions League at 17 years and 242 days.
Bayern's 2026-2027 Bundesliga fixtures are yet to be announced, though they will face Borussia Dortmund in the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup on 22 August.
Karl is determined to return to the pitch after receiving plenty of support, but does not want to risk further injury from a premature comeback.
"It’s really hard to come to terms with a setback like that. The first few days were really tough for me," Karl told the Bayern website.
"My family have been my biggest support, as have my girlfriend and my closest friends, who have always been there for me. I’ve also received a lot of support from FC Bayern and lots of messages from the team.
"What they wrote to me really cheered me up and gave me strength. Everyone made it clear to me: injuries are part of the game; what matters is how you come back.
"That’s what drives me. There's not a lot of time till training starts on 20 July. It'll be a while yet before I can join the boys in training. The main thing now is not to rush things.
"I’m in daily contact with the doctors and fitness coaches; we’re monitoring the muscle’s response very closely."
