Lennart Karl is currently going through a difficult phase at FC Bayern. After his impressive breakthrough last season, the 18-year-old is now facing the first serious crisis of his still-young career. Club officials have also recently made it clear that they expect more from the talented forward. Assistant coach Aaron Danks has now demonstratively shown his support for the youngster.
Above all, his lack of fluidity following his injury layoff had recently sparked discussion. Karl initially had to sit on the bench during the Champions League match against Arsenal, even though Michael Olise was sidelined and Luis Diaz was also on the bench.
Overall, Karl is still searching for the form he showed last season and currently no longer exudes the ease and carefree spirit he displayed last season.
His public image has apparently also been viewed critically by Bayern’s leadership. Hoeneß even announced a serious conversation with the youngster: “I plan to have a serious talk with him. He is far from being a superstar. Young players need humility. Comparisons to Olise are clearly not doing him any favors; there’s still a world of difference between them.”
Danks, however, dismisses any fundamental concerns about the attacking player’s development. Ahead of the classic match against BVB, the assistant coach pointed to his many years of experience with young talents and put Karl’s current fluctuations in form into perspective.
“I’ve been a coach for a long time and have often worked with young players. What Lenny is going through right now is completely normal. At that age, it’s like a roller coaster—it goes up and down,” Danks explained.
At the same time, the Englishman made it clear that Karl continues to enjoy the full confidence of the record champions. “We fully support him and are pushing him forward,” he emphasized.
Bayern sees positive progress in Karl
Danks also pointed out that the youngster has recently shown significant progress beyond his offensive qualities. His work off the ball, in particular, has stood out positively. “In the last two games, he’s done a great job—even defensively—and shown his quality going forward,” praised the assistant coach.
In fact, Karl had already responded to the criticism in the 3-1 win over SC Freiburg, earning praise from Max Eberl for his performance. He also made an impact on offense in the decisive cup victory over Magdeburg, setting up a goal, among other contributions.
The fact that the 18-year-old remains one of Europe’s most promising talents despite his recent struggles was further underscored by his fourth-place finish in the Kopa Trophy voting. Only Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí, and Warren Zaïre-Emery finished ahead of him.
Bayern Munich clearly does not want to rush the youngster’s development. Danks clearly articulated the coaching staff’s stance: “We’re staying calm and believe in him.”