Eberl responds to Ballack's comments on Bayern Munich talent Lennart Karl

Max Eberl, Bayern Munich's sporting director, responded to Michael Ballack's comments regarding young talent Lennart Karl, expressing his surprise at the management of the discussion through the media, whether from Ballack as an agent or as a sports analyst.

Eberl said: "Honestly, I find it difficult to deal with discussions or disagreements that are conducted this way through the media. We saw last season that Lennart Karl is an exceptional talent and has made remarkable progress. There was a reason he was nominated for the Best Young Player award during the Ballon d'Or ceremony in London, which made us very happy."

He added: "After that, he suffered an injury before the FIFA World Cup, and it was a difficult period for him. We in football know that a player's development can sometimes experience setbacks; things do not always progress in a straight upward curve. And that is all we said."

He explained: "Lennart Karl's performance against SC Freiburg and Magdeburg shows that things are starting to improve again, and that he is on the right track. I admire the way this young man has managed to overcome everything he has been through and move forward."

Eberl concluded: "This is exactly what I said on behalf of Bayern Munich, and that is why I did not fully understand what Michael Ballack said, whether as an agent or a sports analyst."