"Obvious problem": Lennart Karl's injury shock is set to ignite fierce debate at FC Bayern

Having already been sidelined for around a month in the final weeks of the previous season due to a muscle injury, the 18-year-old suffered a torn muscle fibre whilst on international duty with the German national team shortly before the World Cup began. Karl will therefore miss the tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

Because several other young Bayern players on the fringes of the first team—David Santos Daiber (sidelined since mid-March), Guido Della Rovere, Maycon Cardozo and Vincent Manuba—are also dealing with thigh problems, the club no longer views the string of setbacks as mere coincidence, according to kicker.

Karl's latest setback has made the issue "even more pressing" at FCB, reports kicker, and the club now plans an internal review to prevent further injuries.

Having been ruled out of the World Cup, Karl has returned to Germany and immediately begun rehabilitation with FC Bayern's medical team in Munich. "Missing a World Cup at such short notice is, of course, extremely painful, and the news came as a shock to the whole of FC Bayern," sporting director Max Eberl said, voicing sympathy for the highly rated youngster.

Karl suffered the injury on Friday, during the DFB squad's final training session before the last warm-up match against co-hosts the USA (2-1). National team manager Julian Nagelsmann expects the Bayern youngster to be "sidelined for four to six weeks, maybe a little longer". RB Leipzig's Nassan Ouedraogo has been drafted in as his replacement.

The attacking midfielder had reacted to the bitter disappointment on Instagram: "I don't even know where to start, but it just hurts indescribably to have to miss the biggest tournament." Having impressed in the 4-0 penultimate friendly against Finland at the end of May, Karl had been in contention for a starting berth in Germany's World Cup squad; Leroy Sané is now likely to occupy that spot in attack.