Christopher Lenz (born 22 September 1994) is a German professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Bundesliga club TSG Hoffenheim.[2]

Christopher Lenz
Lenz with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022
Personal information
Date of birth (1994-09-22) 22 September 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Berlin, Germany
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
TSG Hoffenheim
Number 13
Youth career
Stern Marienfelde
0000–2008 Tennis Borussia Berlin
2008–2012 Hertha BSC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012 Hertha BSC II 4 (0)
2012–2016 Borussia Mönchengladbach II 109 (8)
2016–2021 Union Berlin 65 (0)
2017–2018Holstein Kiel (loan) 30 (2)
2021–2023 Eintracht Frankfurt 40 (0)
2023–2024 RB Leipzig 5 (0)
2024– TSG Hoffenheim 0 (0)
International career
2012 Germany U18 2 (0)
2012–2013 Germany U19 10 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12 September 2024

Club career

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Born and raised in Berlin, Lenz started playing football at FC Stern Marienfelde in the southern part of the capital. In addition to a brief period in the youth department of Tennis Borussia Berlin, Lenz was primarily developed at Hertha BSC, where he spent a total of twelve years. In the second half of the 2011–12 season, he was promoted to the second team's squad.

 
Christopher Lenz in the Union Berlin jersey. (2016)

In 2012, he transferred to Borussia Mönchengladbach, where he initially played for the A-youth team but was already promoted to the second team in September. After a total of four years in the Regionalliga West and upon the expiration of his contract, Lenz returned to his hometown for the 2016-17 season and signed a two-year contract with 2. Bundesliga club Union Berlin.[3] After being called up to the squad for league matches only twice and coming on as a substitute once during the first half of the season, he moved on loan to 3. Liga club Holstein Kiel for the second half of the season.[4] After playing the upcoming second-division season with Kiel, Lenz returned to Union Berlin's squad for the 2018–19 season. Following Berlin's first-ever promotion to the Bundesliga, he made his debut in the league on Matchday 1 in the 0–4 home defeat against RB Leipzig.

For the 2021–22 season, after his contract with Union expired, Lenz made a free transfer within the Bundesliga to Eintracht Frankfurt In the Main metropolis, he signed a contract until 2024.[5] Initially deployed as a left-back in Frankfurt's back four, Lenz had to take a break from September 2021 for over two months due to injury. Upon his return, especially with a shift to a back three system and the presence of Filip Kostić as a key player on the left flank, he mainly served as a substitute. Throughout the season, he made 18 appearances in various competitions. Lenz gained his first international experience in the Europa League, and his team reached the final after topping the group and securing victories in the knockout stages against Real Betis, FC Barcelona, and West Ham United. In the final on May 18, 2022, against the Rangers, the defender came on as a substitute in extra time and played a direct role in his team's title win by converting the first penalty in the subsequent shootout.

In the 2022–23 season, he gained experience in the Champions League for the first time and made a total of 35 appearances across different competitions.[6]

On 30 August 2023, Lenz signed with RB Leipzig for one year, with an option for a second year.[7] He left RB Leipzig on 1 July 2024.[8]

On 12 September 2024, Lenz joined TSG Hoffenheim.[9]

International career

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Lenz played two test matches for the Germany U18 national team in May 2012. Additionally, from August 2012 to June 2013, he was also featured in ten international matches for the U19 national team.[10]

Career statistics

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As of match played 11 May 2024[11]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League DFB-Pokal Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Borussia Mönchengladbach II 2012–13 Regionalliga West 18 0 18 0
2013–14 29 4 29 4
2014–15 31 3 2[a] 0 33 3
2015–16 31 1 31 1
Total 109 8 2 0 111 8
Union Berlin 2016–17 2. Bundesliga 1 0 1 0
2018–19 11 0 2 0 13 0
2019–20 Bundesliga 26 0 4 1 30 1
2020–21 27 0 1 0 28 0
Total 65 0 7 1 72 1
Holstein Kiel (loan) 2016–17 3. Liga 19 2 2 0 21 2
2017–18 2. Bundesliga 11 0 1 0 12 0
Total 30 2 3 0 33 2
Eintracht Frankfurt 2021–22 Bundesliga 15 0 1 0 2[b] 0 18 0
2022–23 24 0 4 0 5[c] 0 1[d] 0 34 0
2023–24 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Total 40 0 5 0 7 0 1 0 53 0
RB Leipzig 2023–24 Bundesliga 5 0 1 0 2[c] 0 8 0
Career total 249 10 16 1 9 0 3 0 277 11
  1. ^ Appearances in Regionalliga promotion play-offs
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  4. ^ Appearance in UEFA Super Cup

Honours

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Eintracht Frankfurt

References

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  1. ^ "Christopher Lenz". Eintracht Frankfurt. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  2. ^ Christopher Lenz at WorldFootball.net
  3. ^ "Union verpflichtet Defensivtalent Christopher Lenz ab Sommer 2016". fc-union-berlin.de. 19 January 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  4. ^ "Christopher Lenz wechselt auf Leihbasis zu Holstein Kiel". fc-union-berlin.de. 27 December 2016. Archived from the original on 20 March 2018. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  5. ^ Ab Sommer ein Adler, eintracht.de, retrieved 28 January 2021.
  6. ^ Christopher Lenz » Vereinsspiele in der Datenbank von weltfussball.de, retrieved 30 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Christopher Lenz Joins RB Leipzig". RB Leipzig. 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  8. ^ "RB LEIPZIG PART WAYS WITH CHRISTOPHER LENZ". RB Leipzig. 1 July 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  9. ^ "TSG Hoffenheim verpflichtet Christopher Lenz" [TSG Hoffenheim signs Christopher Lenz]. www.tsg-hoffenheim.de (in German). 12 September 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  10. ^ Christopher Lenz in der Datenbank des Deutschen Fußball-Bundes, retrieved 21 January 2021.
  11. ^ Christopher Lenz at Soccerway
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