Bayern Munich’s Lennart Karl on record-breaking UCL goal: “I don’t need to fear the opponent.” | OneFootball

Lennart Karl’s piece of German footballing history in a Wednesday evening Bayern Munich Champions League win was more impressive than simply a stat. The 17-year-old led the way for the Bundesliga record champions with a true wonder-goal in the 5th-minute. Karl produced a 1-0 most worth seeing. 

Played ahead by the FCB defensive ranks, Karl fearlessly turned and embarked on a scintillating solo run. The teenage talent then curled in a left-footed finish from 18 meters out in off the underside of the crossbar to cap off his long dribble.

The manner in which Karl scored naturally fueled his reputation as a youngster with a certain “healthy arrogance” about his ability to compete with more established players.  Karl’s comments in the mixed zone seemed to suggest as much, though he was provoked somewhat by reporters and others.  

FCB sporting director Christoph Freund and Vincent Kompany’s coaching team told Karl prior to his start that he would likely score. Karl’s move was unabashedly ballsy as hell. His fellow young phenom Aleksandar Pavlovic made certain to credit him with that. 

“To put it in the most German way, he simply has the balls to pull off something like that,” Pavlovic remarked in the mixed zone. “He did a great job today.“

“I don’t know if I should fear the opponent,” Karl himself nonchalantly remarked in the mixed zone. “but I don’t need to fear the opponent. I need to press ahead and do my thing.”

Was it true that Freund and the coaching staff prophesied his goal? 

“Yeah, they told me before the match that I would score a goal,” Karl concluded. “I scored. I pulled it off. Everything worked out.“

“I’m not a huge fan of hype,” Kompany said of Karl at the post match press conference. “He’ll continue to get his chances after he gets some rest. I told him that it was important that he showed up in such a big game today.

“But I also told him that he’ll have to keep doing that at the age of 30,” Kompany nevertheless added. “Because that’s what Harry [Kane] does too.“

GGFN | Peter Weis