„He plays as if he were on the sandlot“: Karl reminds Hamann of Ribery | OneFootball

Lennart Karl not only thrilled fans and team-mates with his furious performance in the Champions League against Club Brugge – TV pundit Dietmar Hamann also went into raptures. In his Sky column, the former Bayern professional praised the 17-year-old to the skies and drew a special comparison: Karl reminded him of none other than Franck Ribéry.

Hamann was impressed by the carefree attitude and maturity with which Karl performs in the concert of the greats. „The Sky pundit explained: „The fact that someone is playing at this level in the Champions League at the age of less than 18 is not a matter of course and shows that Karl is highly talented.

Hamann was particularly impressed by the talented attacker’s bold style of play: „He plays carefree, as if he were on the football pitch. He’s incredibly difficult to stop in one-on-one situations. He tries again and again, even if he gets stuck. That kind of thing helps every team.“

Then came the highest praise: „He’s an incredibly interesting player, and his style reminds me of Franck Ribéry.“

For Hamann, Karl embodies exactly the mixture of technique, courage and joy of playing that once made the French crowd favourite at Säbener Straße.

Kompany „can no longer hide“ Karl

Photo: IMAGO

Hamann is convinced that Karl will play a permanent role in Bayern’s plans after his gala performance against Brugge. „Vincent Kompany has kept Karl hidden for a while, but after the performance and his goal against Brugge, he can no longer hide him in the future,“ said Hamann.

Especially in tight games, the 17-year-old could become a weapon in future: „If Bayern need a goal with half an hour to go, the coach will have to bring him on and bring him on. He’s also an option for the starting eleven if someone is injured, because Bayern’s squad isn’t too big.“

„A beacon of hope for Bayern and German football“

Hamann not only sees great promise in Karl for the future of FC Bayern, but also for German football as a whole: „Karl is a beacon of hope, not only for FC Bayern, but also for German football.“

At the same time, however, the former national team player urges patience: „Can he be a candidate for the national team? He’s only played once from the start in the Champions League. We’ll have to wait and see what happens in seven or eight months‘ time. I would be cautious and keep my eye on the ball for now.“