"You don't have to do that at 18": Uli Hoeneß announces a dressing-down for Bayern Munich's star prospect Lennart Karl

Bayern boss Uli Hoeneß was not impressed, telling DAZN that, while the club has excelled on the pitch this season, its public image also matters. He added that Karl's choice of attire that evening did not fit that standard: "You don't exactly have to show up online in a pink suit. We saw the same thing with Bastian Schweinsteiger when he painted his fingernails black. Franz Beckenbauer and I intervened then too."

The 74-year-old therefore announced: "I'll take Lennart aside at some point, when I see him, and tell him what's important in life and what isn't."

When reminded that Michael Olise often arrives at French national team matches dressed in highly eye-catching attire, Hoeneß replied: "Yes, but he's already a global star, so he can get away with it. The media drive that kind of thing, of course, and his new girlfriend will naturally be interested as well.

However, a pink suit is 'never sensible. He needs to realise that he has to win people over through football. He has to inspire people on the pitch. And if he then perhaps drives a flashy car or something similar, that's a different matter. But you don't have to be doing that at 18.'

It is therefore Bayern's responsibility to step in. Hoeneß is "convinced" that head coach Vincent Kompany has already addressed the issue with Karl. His conclusion: "Ultimately, he will be judged by what he shows on the pitch. But if, after four or five years, he's a regular for the national team and fans say, 'I come to the stadium for him too', then maybe he can let his hair down at Carnival and dig out that costume for one last appearance."

Karl's outfit and his exuberant pitch-side celebrations with teammates had already drawn criticism from his agent, Michael Ballack. "The fact that he's jumping around at all is already too much. But let's put it down to his euphoria and youthfulness," the former pro told DAZN. "He'll get an earful in the dressing room, I'm sure of that." Ballack added that he would "definitely" send Karl a personal message.

Aleksandar Pavlovic, his team-mate, simply smiled at the time. "You know the lad. He wants to stand out," the midfielder said. "You saw that again today. Let him get on with it."

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