Eyes on a comeback: Bayern star Karl is back to training with the ball | OneFootball

Lennart Karl is getting closer to his return. The young FC Bayern player has resumed training with the ball at Säbener Straße—alongside Serge Gnabry, who is also working on his comeback.

While most of the team is still on vacation or was competing in the 2026 World Cup in North America, Karl and Gnabry were doing laps on the training grounds Friday morning. For the two offensive players, it wasn’t just about running drills: light passing and dribbling exercises were also on the agenda.

For Karl, this marks a visible step forward. In early June, the young player suffered a torn muscle bundle and was subsequently forced to withdraw from the World Cup. Now he’s back on the ball, at least in individual training.

“It’ll still take a while”: Karl tempers expectations

However, the 18-year-old doesn’t want to commit to a fixed timeline. According to the Münchner Abendzeitung, it’s not yet clear when he’ll be able to rejoin team training. Karl himself is being emphatically patient.

“It’ll still take a while before I can join the sessions with the guys. Right now, the main thing is not to rush anything,” Karl said recently. The focus is clearly on a cautious return, without jeopardizing the healing process by pushing too hard.

Gnabry is also working on his return

Photo: FC Bayern

Karl isn’t the only one fighting his way back. Serge Gnabry also missed the 2026 World Cup—in his case, due to a severe muscle injury. The winger is now also using the break from competition for individual training.

For both offensive players, the goal is to rejoin the team as quickly as possible. However, it will likely still be some time before Karl is able to fully return to team training.