In the piece that he recently wrote for The Athletic, Philipp Lahm gave his take on Bayern Munich’s strategy and handling of Lennart Karl.
While the youngster is in the midst of tough stretch, Lahm believes that the 18-year-old can be a star:
Consider Lennart Karl; the 18-year-old is a super talent.
In the first half of the season, when Jamal Musiala was injured, he was given a chance to prove himself. The setting around him was good, the team was solid: Luis Diaz on the left, Michael Olise on the right,
Harry Kane at No 9, with Aleksandar Pavlovic and Joshua Kimmich behind him.
Karl was mainly used in the No 10 position, initially as a substitute, where he quickly benefited the team whenever introduced. Vincent Kompany soon put him in the starting line-up. He profited from his clearly defined role, from the exposure to senior football, and from being allowed to develop chemistry with his team-mates.
His range of skills meant he immediately passed the eye test: he has quick changes of pace, balance, agile dribbling thanks to a low centre of gravity, good first touches and initial movements, and a powerful shot. He has a carefree attitude that sometimes turns into arrogance, but that can be helpful. Karl acquired importance at a top club at a young age, which should benefit him throughout his career, and there’s the real prospect of him becoming something truly special.
Karl’s development will be one of the focal points for the club and for fans alike. The question remains, though, how do you get him enough game experience when the lineup includes three attackers playing at an elite level (Harry Kane, Michael Olise, Luis Díaz), one star attempting to get his mojo back after a long-term injury (Jamal Musiala), and one established, solid veteran (Serge Gnabry)?
There is no easy answer to that and whatever the solution might be will probably end up determining whether Karl makes it or not in Bavaria.
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
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