Di Salvo full of praise for Lennart Karl – sets out clear expectations | OneFootball

The rapid rise of Lennart Karl continues: After his strong performances for FC Bayern, the 17-year-old has now been nominated for the German U21 national team for the first time. DFB coach Antonio Di Salvo revealed on Monday what expectations he has for the attacking talent—and what he hopes to see from Karl in the upcoming matches.

“He needs to integrate, and he will. He should play with confidence and show what he displays at Bayern with us as well,” Di Salvo explained at the press conference ahead of the upcoming European Championship qualifying matches against Malta and Georgia.

Karl is considered one of the greatest hopes of German football. In the current season, the youngster has impressed not only with his courage but also with his effectiveness: He has already scored under coach Vincent Kompany in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League.

Flexible to Use – Karl as a U21 Multi-Talent

Photo: IMAGO/DeFodi Images

Di Salvo especially praised the versatility of the Bayern talent: “I already expect Lennart to be able to transfer the style he shows at Bayern to us as well. He is already very flexible, sometimes on the wing, sometimes in the half-right position. These are positions I have in mind for Lennart with the U21s too.”

Even in the U17 national team, Karl impressively demonstrated his offensive qualities—with seven goals and six assists in 13 matches. Now he is expected to bring his strengths to the U21 level as well.

U21 Under Pressure – Karl as the New Great Hope

After the 2-3 defeat against Greece in October, the DFB team is under pressure in the European Championship qualification. In the upcoming matches, every point counts to avoid jeopardizing participation in the 2027 European Championship in Serbia and Albania—and thus also the chance for an Olympic ticket for Los Angeles 2028.

On Friday, Germany will first host Malta in Fürth, before facing Georgia in Tbilisi four days later. Karl and company go into the matches as favorites—and Di Salvo hopes that the youngster will bring his impressive Bayern momentum to the DFB jersey.

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