Uli Hoeneß has put Lennart Karl under the spotlight, saying he is still far from being a superstar and should be handled with more humility and more pressure. The Bayern München honorary president also said he plans a serious conversation with the 18-year-old after a dip in form.
Hoeneß's warning
Speaking to SPORT1, Hoeneß said: "I have made it my intention to have a serious conversation with him. He is still a long way from being a superstar, young players need humility." He added: "Young players also need pressure. I don't know whether it is good for Lennart Karl if people always just take him in their arms."
That is a pretty direct message for a teenager who had nine goals and eight assists last season. Karl also missed the World Cup after a muscle bundle tear in his thigh, and this season has brought only five Bundesliga appearances, 164 minutes, one goal and no Bundesliga assists.
Bayern's different read on Karl
Max Eberl called Karl's spell a normal process for a young professional, while Oliver Kahn said he is in a consolidation phase after being shot upwards. Their stance is less dramatic than Hoeneß's, but it does show Bayern are not aligned on how hard to push him right now.
The off-pitch angle has also hovered around the story, but it is not the only explanation in play. Kahn and Eberl are pointing to age, workload and recovery, and Karl's 3 Champions League appearances, 78 European minutes and 6.16 rating suggest Bayern are still easing him back rather than asking him to carry the attack.
Bayern host SC Freiburg on Sunday at 17.30, with the scrutiny on Karl set to continue whether Hoeneß's message lands or not.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
