Hoeness sees his criticism as a motivator for Lennart Karl

Uli Hoeness, honorary president of Bayern Munich, says the criticism he directed at Lennart Karl may have motivated the young player. He insists Karl’s celebration did not upset him, although it prompted questions about whether the gesture was aimed at Hoeness.

The player held his hands near his ears and moved his fingers, in a celebration interpreted as a response to the criticism he has faced.

Hoeness summed up his reaction: “It doesn’t bother me. I think I contributed 50% to his goals in recent days, because someone made a comment about his private life.” He also defended the role of club officials in guiding young players: “We also have a responsibility to guide young players. I have a lot of experience, and if an 18-year-old player can’t learn anything from me, then we might as well give up.”

He expanded on that point by distinguishing younger players from those with more experience. In his view, club officials sometimes need to help younger players keep their feet on the ground amid outside influences. He contrasted that with Harry Kane, saying he did not need to intervene with a player like him in the same way.

Earlier, Hoeness had urged Karl to show more humility, saying he was still far from being a major star. He had also said he wanted a serious conversation with him about his development and how he handled media attention. The criticism had stirred controversy at Bayern Munich: Michael Ballack, the player’s adviser, had defended Karl, arguing that public criticism exposed him to media pressure.

In a separate part of his remarks, Hoeness also discussed the Champions League race. He said no club could guarantee winning the competition, naming Real Madrid, Manchester City, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. In his view, Bayern had above all succeeded in re-establishing itself among Europe’s leading clubs. He also praised the individual quality of his players and the completeness of the team, which he said recent performances had demonstrated.