Criticism of Bayern player Lennart Karl: Max Eberl indirectly contradicts Uli Hoeneß

Lennart Karl is currently struggling to find his form and has at times come in for criticism. Max Eberl has now pledged his full support and remains relaxed, while Uli Hoeneß has adopted a more forceful tone.

Lennart Karl is not quite back to the top form he showed last season at Bayern Munich. Max Eberl defended the prodigious talent at Saturday's press conference ahead of the trip to SC Freiburg, indirectly contradicting Bayern Munich patron Uli Hoeneß.

"What is happening with Lenny is a completely normal process for a young professional. Everyone, and perhaps Lenny too, expects things to carry on as they did last season," explained Eberl.

Bayern would "support Karl through it", Eberl said, because "we are convinced that he will reach that level again. But he had the injury, he missed the World Cup, and of course that affects a player. But as I said, for us this is a completely normal process."

What did Uli Hoeneß say about Lennart Karl?

Before the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico, Karl was regarded as a major coaching prospect in the DFB team and was already in the final squad. Then he suffered a muscle bundle tear in training ahead of the tough test against co-hosts USA and missed the tournament.

Eberl is taking a gentle approach with the 18-year-old, but Hoeneß had recently announced in Welt am Sonntag that he wanted to speak frankly with Karl. "I have decided to have a serious conversation with him," said the 74-year-old. "For example, I don't know whether it does Lennart Karl any good if people only ever put an arm around him."