The shot was a lofted finish over Jan Oblak in the 54th minute at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. The celebration that followed is what people in Munich have been arguing about since.

Lennart Karl raised both hands to his ears and mimed a talking mouth with his fingers, a “blah-blah” taunt that fcbinside.com reported looked pointed enough that observers immediately read it as a reply to Bayern honorary president Uli Hoeneß. Bayern beat Atlético Madrid 2-0 on Tuesday, with Konrad Laimer adding the second from a Harry Kane lay-off twenty minutes later.

Why the gesture landed where it did

Hoeneß had, in the days before the trip to Madrid, said in remarks reported by Goal that he wanted a sit-down with Karl and that the teenager was “a long way from being a superstar” and needed more humility.

Sporting director Max Eberl had, in the same window, pointed to a “dip in form and one or two missteps”. The gestures that followed each goal, from the finger-to-lips borrowed off Cristiano Ronaldo to the recent watch-tap towards the bench, had become part of the Munich debate by themselves.

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Eberl says he did not see the gesture

Asked afterwards whether the hands-to-ears gesture had been aimed at him or Hoeneß, Eberl told reporters he had been too busy celebrating.

“I was celebrating too, and when that happens, I don’t look at what the others are doing. I’m happy for him that we scored the goal.”

“Lennart Karl is an important player for us. We’ve never denied that.”

Interim head coach Aaron Danks, standing in for Vincent Kompany while the Belgian recovers from a recent hospital stay, framed it as a young player under pressure rather than as a provocation.

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“There’s been a lot of noise around Lenny recently. As a young player, I think he showed great character and great mental strength.”

Danks added that he had not seen the celebration either.

Neuer wants the subject closed

Captain Manuel Neuer, asked the same question in the mixed zone, did not want to go near it.

“There’s nothing to discuss and nothing to make an issue out of.”

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Team-mate Tom Bischof, standing a few steps away, smiled and said he did not know what the gesture had meant.

Mats Hummels, working as a pundit on the night, said in television comments cited by Goal that criticism was part of the job.

“Criticism is part of football; that’s why you earn so much money, because so many people talk about it.”

Karl was taken off in the 68th minute. Bayern’s next league-phase fixture is at home to Lille on 25 November.

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