Lennart Karl to Barcelona?! Bayern Munich wonderkid bizarrely spotted with shinpads featuring iconic Lionel Messi image despite Real Madrid 'dream' claim

A bizarre contradiction has emerged in the burgeoning career of German wonderkid Karl. Less than two weeks after the 17-year-old forward was forced to apologise for publicly flirting with a future transfer to Real Madrid, a new video has thrown a spanner in the works of his supposed Madridista allegiance. The footage, captured in the Bayern Munich dressing room, zooms in on Karl’s kit, revealing a pair of custom shinpads that feature a prominent image of Messi alongside the inspirational slogan "learning from the best."

For a player dubbed the "German Messi" by the media, idolising the Argentine World Cup winner is hardly a crime. However, the optics of sporting the face of Barcelona’s greatest-ever player while simultaneously courting their arch-rivals Madrid has left supporters scratching their heads. In the tribal world of Spanish football, worshiping Messi while dreaming of the Santiago Bernabeu is a cardinal sin, adding a layer of confusion to the narrative surrounding one of Europe's hottest prospects.

Despite the confusion, the shinpads clearly work wonders as the teen sensation netted a stunning strike as Bayern beat Koln 3-1 on Wednesday, sending the ball sailing into the top corner to round off the scoring in the Bundesliga clash.

The video in question, which has rapidly circulated across social media, leaves little room for interpretation. The text "learning from the best" suggests that Karl studies the Inter Miami star’s game intently to model his own style - a left-footed, agile dribbler with a low centre of gravity.

While emulating Messi is a common trope for modern attackers, doing so so publicly while angling for a move to the Spanish capital is a PR gaffe that hints at the naivety of youth. Real Madrid fans, known for their demanding nature, are unlikely to warm to a potential signing who literally wears the face of their nemesis on his legs. 

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The shinpad reveal comes at a particularly sensitive time. Earlier this month, Karl found himself in hot water with the Bayern Munich hierarchy following a candid Q&A session at a fan club visit. When asked about his future ambitions, the teenager dropped a bombshell that reportedly frustrated his current employers.

"FC Bayern is a very big club. It's a dream to play there," Karl told the gathered supporters. "But at some point, I definitely want to go to Real Madrid. That's my dream club, but that stays between us. Of course, Bayern is something very special and it's a lot of fun."

Bayern Munich sporting director Christoph Freund said that Karl apologised to his team-mates days after making the controversial comments, saying: “He ‘wears his heart on his sleeve’, he ‘doesn’t give a damn’, as we say around here – even on the pitch. He talks like a 17-year-old boy. He was immediately aware that it was unfortunate. He apologised the next day, and we talked about it.”

Meanwhile, coach Vincent Kompany dismissed any notion of bitterness towards the youngster, labelling his admission as a mere "communication mistake". Despite his Madrid dream, the Germany Under 21 international has been in fine form for the Bundesliga champions, with his latest goal taking his tally for the season up to seven across the top-flight and the Champions League. He will be aiming to improve on that record when his side meet third-placed RB Leipzig on Saturday. 

Karl and Co. are currently 11 points clear of nearest challengers Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga after 17 matches.