Bayern gem Karl: Inspired by Musiala, guided by Ballack | OneFootball

With the number 42 on his back, Lennart Karl has taken a special place at FC Bayern - the same number with which Jamal Musiala once made his professional debut. Now, at 17, Karl has also collected his first Bundesliga minutes and shown why he is considered one of the greatest talents in Munich.

In the 6-0 opening win against RB Leipzig, the youngster was substituted on in the 68th minute. For over half an hour, he was able to present his skills - and almost even scored his first goal. After a strong tackle against Castello Lukeba, he failed to score with a shot on Peter Gulácsi. "Unfortunately, it was my weak foot," Karl said self-critically afterwards, "but it's a lot of fun with the guys."

Kimmich praises - Ballack advises

For his courageous performance, Karl received praise from all sides. Joshua Kimmich emphasized at the Sky microphone: "It's the reward for what he does every day in training. The guys give it their all - and that's the basis."

Karl also receives special support from former national player Michael Ballack, who advises him. "He has the experience. He can give me the perfect tips," Karl revealed, who still wants to stay true to his style of play: "I have my own game, nobody can take that away from me."

In the U17, he shone last season with 38 scorer points in just 18 games - values that recommended him for higher tasks.

Eberl dampens expectations

Sporting director Max Eberl was also pleased with the successful performance: "These are exactly the moments you want to give to a young player." At the same time, he warned against overloading the 17-year-old with too much responsibility: "He shouldn't get into crises. Not yet."

In view of the tense personnel situation in the offense - Musiala injured, Müller, Sané and Coman away - Karl's chances of further appearances are good. He himself formulated his goal clearly: "I hope to get playing time in every game. But of course, I have to work hard. This is Bayern Munich. This is one of the top teams in the world."

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.