Uli Hoeneß defends his criticism of Lennart Karl. Following Karl’s recent goals, the Bayern honorary president feels vindicated—and responds to the celebration.
Uli Hoeneß stands by his stance toward Lennart Karl. Following the Bayern prospect’s two most recent goals, the honorary president playfully drew a connection between his words of caution and Karl’s performances on BR’s “Sonntags-Stammtisch.” He said, “I believe I’m responsible for 50 percent of his goals in the last few days.”
The background: Hoeneß had criticized Karl’s public demeanor, called for more humility, and announced a serious conversation. Now the 74-year-old has made it clear that he still wants to pass on his experience to the next generation. In doing so, he also expects a willingness to accept his advice: “If an 18-year-old isn’t willing to take anything from me, then we have to stop.”
Hoeneß explicitly sees it as his responsibility to intervene with young players. “I have to do something about that,” he explained: “I also see it as my responsibility to speak up.”
The longtime Bayern executive is particularly critical of the influence of social media. “Social media is the biggest problem,” Hoeneß said on BR. He described the “influencer scene” as a “mess.” In doing so, he distinguished between experienced pros like Harry Kane and young players who are still learning how to handle the attention.
Hoeneß’s criticism sparked a public debate about Karl
The controversy surrounding Karl had escalated significantly in recent weeks. Hoeneß called for “humility” and announced a “serious conversation.” His message: Karl must first develop further as a player before he can be considered a superstar. The honorary president also considered comparisons to Michael Olise to be premature.
The criticism came at a difficult time for Karl on the field. After dealing with injuries, the attacking player was still searching for his former fluidity. Sporting director Max Eberl spoke of a “slump” and “the occasional misstep.”
In response, Karl’s agent, Michael Ballack, publicly stood up for his client. He criticized the statements made by Bayern officials and their treatment of the 18-year-old. This also sparked a discussion about Ballack’s dual role as a player agent and TV analyst.
Karl ultimately responded on the field. In the 2-0 win over Atlético Madrid, he scored the crucial opening goal. Afterward, however, his conspicuous celebration sparked new speculation: the youngster mimed speaking with his hands. Whether this was actually directed at Hoeneß has not been confirmed.
Hoeneß indicated that he is taking the gesture in stride and recalled earlier discussions about Bastian Schweinsteiger’s black-painted fingernails. Back then, too, Franz Beckenbauer had reacted strongly to the behavior of a young Bayern player.
In Mainz, Karl followed up with a strong performance. In the 2-1 away win, he scored to make it 2-0 and this time refrained from any flashy celebration. Afterward , Eberl, Joshua Kimmich, and Kane praised his performance. Eberl described him as “incredibly bold and fearless”—and specifically commended his response to the criticism.