Michael Ballack classifies Karl’s statements on Real Madrid. The 17-year-old’s advisor calls for calmness – with a clear commitment to FC Bayern
Lennart Karl’s statements about his „dream club“ Real Madrid have recently made waves. Michael Ballack has now spoken out clearly on DAZN – and called for one thing above all: composure. The former Bayern professional and current advisor to the 17-year-old made it clear that the words of a teenager should not be made bigger than they are
„He’s still a young guy who is being honed“
Ballack began by putting his client’s sporting status into perspective. „First of all, he clearly has outstanding footballing ability, but he’s still a young guy who is being honed, who is in a maturing process and is at the very, very beginning of his career,“ explained the 47-year-old. At this early stage in particular, dreams, spontaneous statements and honest answers are nothing unusual – especially in an environment like a fan meeting
It is normal for young players to be asked about their big goals. „If you are then asked about your dreams, then I believe that you can and are allowed to make them known,“ said Ballack. He can understand the sometimes emotional reactions from the Munich environment, but does not share them. „In context, the statement is harmless to me,“ he made unmistakably clear
Clear words on FC Bayern and Karls‘ decision
It was particularly important for Ballack to emphasize one thing: Lennart Karl’s connection to FC Bayern. The record champions are by no means just a stopover for the attacking player. „I think Lennart is a guy who had a great start at FC Bayern. That’s his absolute dream club, he said that too,“ Ballack emphasized
Karl had already left no doubt about his decision in the contract talks last summer. „When we were negotiating last summer and we talked about how he saw his sporting future here in Munich, Lennart said: No, this is my club, my dream – this is where I grew up, this is where I made my steps.“ For Ballack, this commitment is crucial – not a casual statement about a childhood dream
At the same time, the former national team captain warned against bending young players too early. Authenticity is a value that soccer needs, he said. „We don’t want to bend the boys too early in a society where we’ve been told how to express ourselves a lot anyway. We want authenticity, we want players you can identify with,“ said Ballack
At the end of the day, one thing in particular sticks in his mind: Karl made a conscious decision to play for FC Bayern – despite enormous competition. „It’s a huge challenge to face up to this competition. He dared to do it,“ explained Ballack. The fact that the 17-year-old is currently underpinning this path with strong performances is the best proof that the debate about Real Madrid should be kept much smaller than it has been recently.