On Saturday, the 17-year-old Lennart Karl shone for Bayern Munich as the Bundesliga frontrunners staged an impressive comeback from a two-goal deficit to defeat Freiburg 6-2, equaling a long-standing record.

This match marked Karl's ninth appearance in the league and his second time in the starting lineup. By scoring, assisting, and showcasing his brilliant skills, he sent a significant message to Germany's national coach, Julian Nagelsmann, ahead of next year's World Cup.

Bayern's head coach, Vincent Kompany, remarked during his press conference, "Lenny... it's always quite challenging. When a team puts six goals on the board, many players contribute to that success.

"The key moment was undoubtedly when we scored to make it 2-1. That phase was crucial and highlighted a lot of talent. Few players have that capability, but it shifted our momentum. What followed was the collective effort of numerous players performing well."

The young talent, who previously made history this season by becoming the youngest scorer for Bayern in the Champions League, etched his name in the record books again by becoming the youngest player from the club to score and assist in a Bundesliga match.

Only one player younger than him has achieved this milestone for any Bundesliga side—Youssoufa Moukoko of Borussia Dortmund, who pulled it off during a 3-1 victory against Freiburg in August 2022.

Michael Olise was also pivotal in the victory, netting two goals and assisting three more.

Bayern, who would still have topped the league even with a defeat, equalled their record of 43 consecutive rounds at the top, a streak that has stood for 52 years. They are set to surpass this mark, irrespective of the outcome in their upcoming match against St. Pauli, following their away game against Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Kompany commented, "Any record that has endured for this long reflects a remarkable achievement. However, we don’t concentrate heavily on records.

"I believe we've built confidence and at least sharpened our mental focus from this match, especially regarding aspects that didn’t go as planned."

Freiburg took advantage of Bayern's slow start, with goals from Yuito Suzuki and Johan Manzambi from corners within the first 18 minutes, marking the first instance this season that Bayern fell behind at home.

Karl responded swiftly, finding the net just four minutes later after skillfully controlling Olise's pass and finishing with his right foot. He then assisted Olise, levelling the score before halftime.

The tenacious Karl could have scored again in the second half, but a goal he netted was disallowed after a VAR review deemed there was an offside in the buildup.

Dayot Upamecano netted with a header from Olise's corner, and Harry Kane added to his league-leading goal tally shortly thereafter.

Karl exited the match to thunderous applause in the 71st minute after suffering a hip injury, leaving Olise to assist substitute Nicolas Jackson for the fifth goal in the 78th minute. Olise rounded off the scoring in the 84th with a setup from Hiroki Ito, who was making his season debut.
Bayern's upcoming match presents one of their most challenging obstacles of the season, as they prepare to compete against Arsenal, one of only two teams still boasting a perfect record from four Champions League matches thus far.

"Our next match is another home fixture in the Bundesliga, and sandwiched in between is our Champions League encounter with Arsenal," Kompany remarked. "We have placed ourselves in a solid position to approach this game to continue to evolve and enhance our performance."

When inquired about Bayern's preparedness for this tough matchup, the former Manchester City captain responded, "Perhaps now more than ever. At least, that’s what I hope. "

After the international break in November, Bayern Munich started their Bundesliga games again in a very exciting manner. The reigning champions had to fight back from a 2-0 deficit to secure a 6-2 victory over Freiburg at Allianz Arena. Thanks to Saturday's win, Bayern made sure they had an eight-point advantage at the top of the league standings.

Vincent Kompany made some interesting team choices on Saturday, keeping in mind Wednesday's Champions League match against Arsenal. Lennart Karl and Tom Bischof were given starting positions, while Joshua Kimmich was placed on the bench, as the Belgian coach went with a midfield duo of Leon Goretzka and Aleksandar Pavlovic.

From the very beginning, Freiburg appeared to be the sharper team. Early in the game, the visiting team had two significant opportunities, but Die Roten were fortunate on both occasions. Freiburg controlled both penalty areas in the first 10 minutes, as Die Roten struggled to take control of the game.

The visitors were eventually rewarded for their strong start when they took the lead in the 12th minute. Jan-Niklas Beste sent in a superb corner kick that found Matthias Ginter inside the penalty area. Ginter headed the ball towards Yuito Suzuki, who powerfully shot it into the net from close range.

Five minutes later, the visitors stunned the Allianz Arena by doubling their advantage. From the right corner, Beste delivered another excellent cross that found Johan Manzambi in the penalty area. Manzambi jumped higher than everyone else to head the ball past Neuer.

Freiburg's second goal had truly awakened Bayern. The home team began to connect passes in the attacking third of the field. In the 22nd minute, they managed to reduce the deficit with a fantastic goal from Lennart Karl. Michael Olise was the creator of the goal, as he drove forward with the ball in the attacking third and delivered a perfectly placed pass to find Karl in the penalty area. With a clever touch, the young player moved away from his defender and then placed the ball into the left corner of the goal.

After scoring their first goal, Die Roten were able to gain momentum. Freiburg struggled to regain control of the ball as they had in the first 15 minutes. The Bavarian club created opportunities at a good pace and was close to scoring the equalising goal. In the added time of the first half, they finally broke through. Before the French forward unleashed a powerful shot to beat the goalkeeper, Olise and Karl combined brilliantly in the attacking third.

Vincent Kompany's halftime talk does the trick for Bayern

The equaliser just before the half-time break was exactly what Bayern needed to get into their rhythm. In the 55th minute, the home team took the lead after Olise sent in an accurate cross from the corner for Dayot Upamecano to head the ball into the net.

Following a header from Aleksandar Pavlovic inside the penalty area, Harry Kane scored, increasing Bayern's advantage to two goals. The English attacker extended Die Roten's lead by successfully manoeuvring the ball beyond Noah Atubolu, putting them in a strong position.

After entering the game as a substitute, Nicolas Jackson secured the victory for the home team by scoring in the 78th minute. With composure, the Senegalese player directed the ball into the bottom right corner, although the play's success was greatly influenced by Olise's smart pass to Jackson. Demonstrating his outstanding individual abilities, the French winger increased the score in the 84th minute by bending the ball around Atubolu from just outside the box. Hiroki Ito came on as a substitute and assisted Olise's goal.

Although Bayern's performance against Freiburg was not flawless, they showed resilience by overcoming early challenges. Kompany will be hoping that his team displays greater focus and intensity in their upcoming match against Arsenal on Wednesday.