Lennart Karl got his big chance to start in Stavanger. The Bayern youngster wasn’t able to capitalize on it—now things are looking tight for him again.
Lennart Karl finally got to start again in FC Bayern’s 3-3 draw against Viking Stavanger. For the 18-year-old, it was a great opportunity to make a lasting impression amid the fierce competition in Munich’s offense. But it didn’t work out.
Karl started in the attacking trio alongside Michael Olise and Luis Diaz behind Harry Kane. Although the youngster repeatedly tried to get involved in the game, he remained largely inconspicuous for much of the first half.
One of Karl’s better moments came with a curling shot that sailed just over the crossbar. Otherwise, he gave the ball away several times and made technical errors, won hardly any duels, and rarely made an impact on the game.
Vincent Kompany reacted as early as halftime. Karl stayed in the locker room, and Ismael Saibari came on in his place. The fact that the Bayern coach made a substitution after just 45 minutes sent a pretty clear signal.
The competition for Karl’s starting spot is heating up again
Yet the chance to start came as quite a surprise for Karl. Just a few days earlier, it had become clear just how fierce the competition at Bayern currently is.
In the 2-2 draw against FC Augsburg, Karl hadn’t come on until the 87th minute. Even then, it had become clear that, despite his great talent, the youngster would still have to fight for every minute at Bayern.
In Stavanger, he now had the opportunity to break through that hierarchy a bit. For the time being, he hasn’t capitalized on it.
This could have consequences for Karl. With Michael Olise, Luis Diaz, Serge Gnabry, and Ismael Saibari, the competition in the attack is fierce. On top of that, Kompany is likely to need his experienced players more than ever in the coming weeks due to the packed schedule.
For Karl, this means another chance to start is by no means guaranteed.
His potential is beyond question. Karl is one of the most exciting talents on the Bayern roster and has long since earned a spot on the German national team. In the 0-0 draw against Greece, he even started under Jürgen Klopp.
At FC Bayern, however, different standards apply. There, talent alone isn’t enough when the competition for nearly every attacking position consists of internationally experienced, top-class players.
For Karl, the match in Stavanger was therefore more than just an off night. It was a missed opportunity to convince Kompany to give him more playing time.
The match against RB Leipzig could already reveal how the Bayern coach reacts to the youngster’s performance. After his lackluster showing in Norway, there are currently strong indications that Karl will have to take a seat on the bench again for the time being.