GOAL, ASSIST & RECORD: LENNART KARL STARRED HELPS BAYERN MATCH BUNDESLIGA DOMINANCE STREAK
17-year-old Lennart Karl starred with a goal and an assist as Bayern Munich came from 2-0 down to thrash Freiburg 6-2. The win equals Bayern's 52-year-old record of 43 consecutive rounds at the top.
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. "
WHY LUIS DIAZ IS TRADING FOOTBALL BOOTS FOR MICROPHONES AT BAYERN MUNICH
Bayern Munich’s Luis Diaz launches his music career with the Champeta single "La Promesa." Explore the lyrics, family story, and video.
Luis Diaz, once lighting up the wings for Liverpool, has surprised just about everyone by diving into music. Now at Bayern Munich, Diaz just dropped his first single, “La Promesa”—which, yeah, means “The Promise.”
He didn’t go it alone. Diaz teamed up with Juanda Iriarte and Nelsen, two big names in champeta, that lively Afro-Colombian sound from the Caribbean coast. It’s a genre that’s all about rhythm, energy, and heart.
In his debut track, Diaz opens up about a promise he once made to his parents—to buy them a house and help them leave behind their old neighborhood. The lyrics don’t dance around the message. He’s just grateful for football, his career, and the chance to give back. “Thank you, God, for giving me the blessing of playing football,” he sings. “And being able to fulfill the promise I made to my parents and to my whole family, amen.”
As 2025 wrapped up, Diaz dropped a heartfelt note on Instagram to go with the new single. He wrote, “I close the year with gratitude. To God, for guiding my every step, giving me strength when things got tough, and never abandoning me. To my family, thank you from the bottom of my heart. For always being there, through sacrifices, the tough moments, and every dream that seemed out of reach. None of this would be real without you. Every effort makes sense when you can give back even a fraction of what your loved ones did to help you succeed. This song is straight from my heart, from sincere gratitude for what we’ve built together.”
He didn’t stop there. “This is the result of a long journey of faith, work, and love. God’s been with me all the way. My family fought with me and for me. Everything I am, everything I have—it’s because of that. Thank you, God. Thank you, family. Thank you, Nelsen Music and Juanda Iriarte, for believing and making ‘La Promesa’ real.”
The music video? It’s Diaz at home, singing, while highlights from Barranquilla FC, Junior de Barranquilla, Porto, Liverpool, and Bayern flash by—goals, celebrations, the lot.
Why music? Diaz explained, “Music’s one of my hobbies, a way to express what’s in my heart. I do it with love and respect for the art. This project just grew out of passion, from enjoying the process and connecting with you in a new way.”
He hasn’t slowed down on the pitch, either. Since moving to the Bundesliga, Diaz has racked up 13 goals and 7 assists in just 22 games this season. Back at Liverpool, he scored 41 times, added 23 assists in 148 games, and helped the club lift the Premier League, FA Cup, and two League Cups. Not a bad run—on the field or now, apparently, in the studio.
WHY KIM MIN-JAE IS REFUSING TO LEAVE BAYERN MUNICH THIS JANUARY
Kim Min-jae has reportedly rejected all winter transfer offers from Fenerbahçe and Italy to fight for his place at Bayern Munich.
Bayern Munich aren’t in a hurry to let go of their senior players this January, even if some of them really want more minutes on the pitch. The club’s top brass and Vincent Kompany both think a deeper squad gives them a better shot at managing matches during the Ruckrunde. It also keeps Bayern in the race for trophies on all fronts.
Right now, Kim Min-jae is one of the few Bayern players drawing real interest from clubs around Europe. Fenerbahce are hoping to lure him back to Turkey, and there’s buzz from Serie A as well. But honestly, Kim’s not biting. The 29-year-old has made up his mind about what comes next.
Florian Plettenberg from Sky Sports Germany reports that Kim Min-jae isn’t looking for a move in the middle of the season. He’s turning down all the winter offers and plans to stick it out in Munich until the summer, at least.
Bayern are happy to keep him around for the Ruckrunde. The truth is, Kim had a rough first half of the season. He lost his spot in the starting lineup, with Jonathan Tah slotting right in as Kompany’s go-to center-back. In total, Kim Min-jae clocked 686 minutes between the Bundesliga and the Champions League. Tah and Dayot Upamecano have been Bayern’s main pairing in defense for most games.
Looking ahead, Kim Min-jae might need to consider a transfer this summer. Bayern appreciate that he’s fighting for his place, but it feels like his time in Munich is probably winding down.
Since joining from Napoli in 2023, Kim hasn’t really strung together a full season of strong performances. The second half of the season, in particular, has been tough for him. Last summer, clubs like Al-Nassr, PSG, and Juventus circled, but in the end, he stayed in Bavaria.
With two years left on his contract, Bayern might decide to cash in when the window opens again. Kim won’t be short on options. A return to Italy could make sense—he thrived in Serie A before. For now, he’s got the rest of this season to make his case, help Bayern chase silverware, and maybe write a different ending to his time in Munich.