Bayern Munich youngster left ‘really angry and upset’ by Vincent Kompany snub as Germany legend urges coach to trust youth players
Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus says Lennart Karl appeared “really angry and upset” after being left on the bench in Bayern Munich’s latest game.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Following Bayern’s 3-2 victory over Augsburg, 17-year-old midfielder Karl, a promising talent from the club’s youth academy, sat on the bench for the entire match. Despite a recent full debut in the DFB-Pokal and a strong performance in the Bundesliga opener, Karl was overlooked by coach Kompany in favour of veteran substitutes like Raphael Guerreiro and Sacha Boey, both of whom have struggled to make an impact. Seeing a visibly distraught Karl, Ex-Bayern midfielder Matthaus criticised the Bayern coach’s of favouritism and urged him to give chance to the young talents.
WHAT MATTHAUS SAID?
Former Germany international and Bayern legend Matthaus have been a vocal critic of the club’s recent approach, particularly after the match against Augsburg.
“I saw him when I went down after the game, he was really angry and upset that he wasn’t substituted,” Matthaus said on Sky about Karl. “Normally you can say: ‘Okay, I’m 17,’ but he wants to play, he’s fired up.”
Matthaus expressed his bewilderment over Kompany’s choices and further shared his message to the club, citing last season’s Champions League exit at the hands of Inter. He added: “It didn’t work against Inter, as Kompany was accused of, but he always tries with these older players, like Boey, who didn’t deliver what was expected of them. If you have a campus like this, you should also use it in the professional arena.”
