Lothar Matthäus has publicly backed Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise over his reserved public persona. The Germany legend defended the player's character during a gathering for TV pundits at the Käfer restaurant in Munich's Bogenhausen district.

"We don't want to change players. I think he's good as he is!" said the 65-year-old Sky pundit. Matthäus, who earned 150 caps for Germany, highlighted the different personalities in professional football. "One person, like me, stands in front of the camera and talks, and he prefers to go somewhere after the game where he feels comfortable."

Unusual Appearances Spark Debate

The discussion around Olise was ignited by several unusual public appearances by the 24-year-old. After the 5-0 home win against Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League, the winger gave extremely terse interviews. During Bayern's official Oktoberfest visit, Olise wore a smurf-blue luxury hat that almost completely hid his face. Just days earlier, he had appeared in white slippers at an honor ceremony in the Bavarian State Chancellery with Minister President Markus Söder. At the subsequent photo shoot, he stood with crossed arms and bowed head behind his teammates.

Internally, teammates describe Olise as more communicative than he appears publicly. Manager Vincent Kompany and sporting director Max Eberl also shield the player, emphasizing his footballing performance as his primary role.

Performance Speaks Volumes

The numbers support his defenders. Since his transfer from Crystal Palace in summer 2024 for a fee of 51 million euros, Olise has scored 50 goals and provided 58 assists in 114 competitive matches for Bayern. This season, he is the team's top scorer with four goals in four appearances. His latest feat was a hat-trick in the 7-0 rout of Union Berlin on September 18th, where he scored in the 43rd, 73rd, and 76th minutes and also assisted one of Harry Kane's goals.

This form is key for a team showing mixed recent results of two wins, one draw, and two losses from its last five outings (LWLDW). The next challenge is the away fixture at FC Augsburg on October 10th. Before that, the squad must cope with the injury absence of Konrad Laimer. The current squad overview lists the available midfield options.

Matthäus's comments present a clear counterpoint to other voices like former Bayern star Didi Hamann, who has previously criticized Olise's behavior. For the 53-year-old, who played for FCB from 1989 to 1998, such discussions are part of modern football. Munich's sporting leadership continues to rely on the 24-year-old attacker, whose contract runs for several more years.

The original report is at Bild Sport