HARRY KANE is using Tottenham’s magical run to the Champions League final five years ago as inspiration to galvanise Bayern Munich’s season.
The England skipper joined the German giants last summer from Spurs in a deal worth £104m, dreaming of finally quenching his thirst for titles and silverware.
Instead, Kane, 30, has endured a nightmare campaign with Bayern so far.
For the first time since 2012, the Bundesliga crown will not be lifted at the Allianz Arena, with Bayern 16 points off Xabi Alonso’s unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen leaders.
Having lost the Super Cup to RB Leipzig back in August, they were also embarrassingly knocked out of the German Cup by third tier minnows FC Saarbrucken.
And so, with boss Thomas Tuchel set to leave at the end of the season, Kane’s only hope of ending his first season abroad with a trophy is on Europe’s grandest stage.
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Their quarter final is finely poised after a tense 2-2 first leg draw against Arsenal at the Emirates. Victory in the home second leg next week will book Bayern a semi-final spot against one of Manchester City or Real Madrid.
Given their domestic crisis, it would take a brave man to back Bayern to go all the way and lift the Champions League at Wembley on June 1 – a title that has eluded them since 2020.
But Kane has previous in this department. In the 2018/19 season, Spurs suffered a dismal run of just three wins from their final 12 Premier League games.
However, in Europe – under Mauricio Pochettino – they defied the odds by reaching the Champions League final thanks to miraculous results against City and Ajax in the quarters and semis.
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The fairy tale was crushed in the final by Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in Madrid, yet Kane is determined to go one better with six-time Euro champs Bayern.
He said: “That [Spurs] campaign is similar because we weren’t having a great time in the league but we found some passion and togetherness in the Champions League.
“We managed to get to the final and of course we didn’t manage to win it but that gives me hope that we can find that again,
“We know we can perform in the big games, perform in the big quarter final at home next week and try to get back to the final.
“It’s a competition the club want to win. Not winning the Bundesliga this year is a tough pill to swallow and it makes this competition even more important.
“We have to find that togetherness, we have to find that team ethic where we grind out games because we haven’t done it enough this year.
“Being at Wembley is also extra motivation for me personally being my national stadium and it’s still there to try and achieve.”
Eric Dier – another former Tottenham star now with Kane at Bayern – added: “We have to have that spirit and I think we showed that spirit.
“We showed that commitment, the togetherness you’re going to need. We just have to do it on a consistent basis now.”
Whereas Poch’s Spurs class of 2019 had little Euro know-how, Bayern’s squad is overflowing with it.
Kane said: “We’ve got a lot of experience in our team, a lot of players who have played in the Champions League for a long time.
“Players who have played in finals, won finals and of course you have to lean on that and, as a team, show that on the pitch.”
Regardless of Bayern’s failings, Kane has enjoyed a stunning individual season with 39 goals in 37 appearances in all competition
He admitted: “It’s not the season I wanted with the way the league’s gone but I’m always confident to score goals.
“I’m really enjoying my experience in Germany and it was a step that I needed in my career. Fresh stimulus, fresh challenge and new surroundings. I’m really happy that I made the move.
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“My future is at Bayern Munich. I have a four-year contract. I’m really enjoying it and hopefully I will be able to make something special happen this season.
“But if not, I’ll be ready to go again in the summer and turn things around.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
