Bayern Munich back Lennart Karl after 17-year-old seals Mainz victory

Lennart Karl has earned strong support from Bayern Munich’s senior figures after his match-winning performance in the 2-1 victory over Mainz.

The 17-year-old academy graduate scored the decisive goal as Bayern continued to see signs of a revival in form from the teenager, who endured a difficult start to the season.

Karl had faced criticism over off-field distractions, inconsistent displays and questions about his attitude. His latest contribution, however, provided another response on the pitch and followed his involvement in recent matches against Freiburg, Magdeburg and Atletico.

Bayern sporting director Max Eberl was pleased with the way Karl had handled the scrutiny and pressure surrounding him.

“It’s great to see Lenny respond this way,” Eberl said. “In the matches against Freiburg and Magdeburg, against Atletico, and now today in Mainz, he has shown just how important he is to us.

“He’s incredibly cheeky and fearless. He just plays his game and does his thing, and we’re all very happy to see that.”

Karl’s goal came after Joshua Kimmich had also scored for Bayern. The club’s vice-captain said the youngster should take pride in meeting the higher standards now expected of him.

“Scoring will certainly do him good,” Kimmich said. “He’s no longer a newcomer; people now expect performances from him. And he delivered today, so he can be very, very proud of himself.”

Kimmich’s comments reflected Karl’s changing status within the Bayern squad. Having previously been viewed as an emerging academy player, he is now being judged against expectations for regular first-team performances.

Harry Kane also praised the teenager’s ability and explained why he enjoys operating alongside him in attack.

“I really enjoy playing with Lenny. He gets on the ball in tight spaces, and I like to make runs close to him. I’m happy for him that he scored again today,” Kane said.

Kane added that Karl’s recent goals had been an indication of his mentality rather than simply a short-term improvement in form.

“There’s been a lot of talk surrounding him lately, but scoring twice in two games comes down to his mentality,” Kane said.

The goal against Mainz continued Karl’s return to form and gave Bayern another reason to value his contribution, with the teenager showing his ability to respond to criticism through his performances.