Bayern Munich honorary president and supervisory board member Uli Hoeneß has spoken strongly about Lennart Karl, insisting that the highly rated youngster is still far from being a superstar.

In an interview with WELT, the Bayern legend revealed that he intends to speak directly with the 18-year-old. “I’m planning to have a serious talk with him. He’s far from being a superstar; young players need humility. Comparisons to Olise are clearly not doing him any good; there’s still a world of difference between them,” the 74-year-old stated. Karl enjoyed an impressive breakthrough season with Bayern last term. The winger scored five goals and provided five assists in the Bundesliga, while adding four goals and two assists in the Champions League. His momentum was interrupted shortly before the World Cup when he suffered a thigh muscle injury that ruled him out of the tournament. Since returning, Karl has yet to rediscover the form he showed during his breakthrough campaign.

Max Eberl backs Karl amid Hoeneß criticism

Asked about Hoeneß’s comments, Bayern Board Member for Sport Max Eberl offered a more measured assessment of Karl’s development and stressed the impact of his injury layoff. “What’s happening with Lenny is a completely normal process for a young player. We’re supporting him and are convinced he’ll reach that level again. But he had the injury, he missed the World Cup, and that naturally has an impact on a player,” Eberl said. Hoeneß’s comments underline the high expectations surrounding Karl following his breakthrough campaign, while Eberl’s response reflects Bayern’s desire to give the youngster time to rediscover his best form after a disruptive few months.