Michael Olise is one of FC Bayern’s standout players. The French attacking star wows fans with his dribbling, his technique, and his tremendous goal-scoring threat. His performances have now even sparked a remarkable comparison. Bayern legend Lothar Matthäus sees parallels between the 24-year-old and none other than Diego Maradona.
At an event hosted by the sports betting provider Interwetten, Matthäus spoke about the Bayern star and his special qualities. In particular, the way opposing teams deal with Olise reminded him of the Argentine World Cup champion from 1986.
The all-time leader in appearances for the national team pointed out that, much like Maradona in his day, Olise is regularly stopped with hard fouls.
For Matthäus, this is also a sign of just how difficult the Frenchman is for his opponents to defend against.
Matthäus draws a surprising comparison to Maradona
The parallel between Olise and Maradona relates primarily to how they are treated by opposing defenders. Both players have been—or are—repeatedly targeted by fouls due to their exceptional technical skills.
Olise, in particular, has been feeling this firsthand on a regular basis this season. The Frenchman is one of Munich’s most important offensive players and is marked very closely by his opponents as a result.
However, the 24-year-old has also made negative headlines of his own recently.
In the 3-3 draw against Viking Stavanger in the Champions League, Olise was shown a yellow-red card. As a result, he’ll miss the record champions’ crucial home match against Arsenal on Wednesday.
Matthäus is convinced that this suspension hits the Bayern star particularly hard. “The biggest punishment for him is that he’s suspended for Wednesday’s match against Arsenal after his red card,” explained the 65-year-old.
The former Bayern captain therefore believes that Olise has already been punished enough by missing such a high-profile match.
“Leave him alone!”
In addition to his athletic abilities, Olise also frequently sparks discussion with his personality.
The French national team player is considered extremely reserved. He rarely gives interviews, and public appearances off the soccer field are also not among his favorite activities.
For Matthäus, however, that’s not a problem at all. “Leave him just the way he is!” was his clear message.
The all-time leading scorer for the national team apparently sees no reason why Olise should change just to meet the public’s expectations.
At FC Bayern, the main hope is that the 24-year-old will quickly make headlines on the field again after his suspension.
Against Arsenal, Vincent Kompany will have to make do without his star player for the time being. With nine goals and five assists in ten competitive matches, Olise is one of Munich’s most productive offensive players.
The comparison to Maradona certainly underscores the stature the Frenchman has now achieved—even if Matthäus explicitly does not equate the overall athletic prowess of the two players.