Bayern Munich wonderkid Lennart Karl has not had an easy start to 2026. Bursting onto the scene in some style, becoming the youngest ever player to score in three consecutive Champions League games, he is now struggling to find form and has been relegated to the bench for a couple of games in a row.
Vincent Kompany however remains confident about the youngster. Speaking to the media ahead of the game against Gladbach, the coach reiterated that Karl needs support to flourish.
“I’ve been very transparent
about Lenny, how we see him, how he’s approached things,” said Kompany (via @iMiaSanMia). “His last game against Bremen was very good. Not just offensively, but also very convincing defensively. He went through a phase where not everything was going into the top corner — that happens, and we stayed calm.”
“The media was talking about Messi comparisons,” he added. “We talked about his steady development and his career progression. He’s done everything a young player growing up at FC Bayern does. We will continue to support him, and we will do so with complete confidence because he’s always making good progress.”
The comparisons to Leo Messi do seem rather premature right now, because of Karl’s recent struggles. Still, maybe a little less game time will benefit the youngster as he learns the ins and outs of top level play. Kompany seems like the right person to guide him on this journey.
