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      Bayern Munich line up three-man manager shortlist as De Zerbi and ex-Man Utd boss edged out by shock candidate

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      BAYERN MUNICH are considering three shock candidates to take over from Thomas Tuchel at the end of the season.Tuchel was essentially sacked in February with the club knocked out of the German FA Cup and drifting in the league.Julian Nagelsmann is in line for a sensational return to Bayern MunichCredit: GettyBrighton boss Roberto De Zerbi could be an alternativeCredit: GettyBut he was given a stay of execution until this summer with Bayern not in a position to immediately appoint a successor.Fabrizio Romano reports that the club have a three-man list of Julian Nagelsmann, Roberto De Zerbi and Ralf Rangnick to take over the club next year.Incredibly, former manager Nagelsmann is the current front-runner for the job.Nagelsmann was sacked by Bayern almost a year ago to the day with the club keen to move for long-term target Tuchel.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLTuchel was believed to have held talks with Real Madrid and Tottenham and Bayern wanted to swoop before it was too late.That saw Nagelsmann sacked despite him averaging 2.19 points per game during his 19 months in charge at Bayern.Nagelsmann then went on to take charge of the German national team on a temporary contract until after the Euros.It appears Bayern have admitted internally they made a mistake in sacking Nagelsmann and are in the embarrassing position of having to re-offer him the job.Most read in FootballFormer Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick is also an optionCredit: GettyCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSThey face competition from Germany, who intend to offer Nagelsmann a contract until after the 2026 World Cup.Brighton boss De Zerbi also features in the list, with Bayern impressed with he football he has implemented on the south coast.Harry Kane pictured training with Bayern days after 3 of his kids were saved by hero nanny in three-car smashThe Seagulls haven’t been quite as electric as they were last season but still sit in tenth after losing key players Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister.Former United manager Ralf Rangnick is another shock name on the list, but he has impressed since taking over the Austrian national team after implementing his gegenpressing style.Tuchel showed why he could be the perfect man for Man Utd, says Andy DillonBy Andy Dillon
      TOMMY TUCHEL could not have done it better had he submitted his CV to LinkedIn or Indeed.
      Somehow mustering some gumption from the worst Bayern Munich team in more than a decade to stop a rampant Arsenal dead in their tracks is a spectacular job advert for a manager soon to be looking for work.
      If Sir Jim Ratcliffe wasn’t watching from his Old Trafford office or from the cinema room in one of his tax havens, he should have been.
      They may have even sat up and taken notice in Newcastle or in the owners’ Riyadh hub as Tuchel reminded everyone of his credentials as a top-level coach with devilish timing.
      If change is coming then Tuchel is playing a trump card.
      His side turned up and cowed the team that, as far as the current Premier League goes, is the best in England.
      It may only add to the questions around Tuchel that after tossing away the only league easier to win than Scotland’s or Spain’s, Munich have sprung to life in Europe.
      After 11 years unopposed as German champions, Chelsea’s former manager has chucked it in at home in a remarkable act of ineptitude. But freak years can happen.
      Tuchel is an enigma. But that is part of the appeal as much as winning the Champions League with Chelsea just three months after taking the job.
      With no new signings, he took a team that had lost five of the previous ten games and turned them into European Champions.
      With Ratcliffe considering swingeing budget cuts at Old Trafford, a coach who can perform wonders on peanuts would be music to his ears.
      Click here to ready Andy’s column in full.
      Or to read more from Andy Dillon, click here. More

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      Harry Kane is football’s greatest trophy curse – Arsenal will encounter a wounded England captain in Bayern Munich clash

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      OF all the trophies Harry Kane has missed out on, this one will have stung the most.This was supposed to have been a dead cert. This was nailed-on.Harry Kane missed out on the Bundesliga titleCredit: GettyBayer Leverkusen won the league unbeatenCredit: GettyBayern Munich had won 11 successive Bundesliga titles, so when the England captain signed for the great Bavarian powerhouse last summer, we all said: “Well, at least he’ll finally win something.”Yet on Sunday evening, there were Bayer Leverkusen — known in Germany as ‘Neverkusen’ because they hadn’t previously won the league thanks to several late implosions — cavorting around, 16 points clear, unbeaten in all competitions and confirmed as champions with five games to spare.And so the greatest trophy curse in footballing history continues.Kane is always the runner-up, always the nearly man, always the fall guy, too often a figure of fun for those taking pleasure in the misfortune of others.Does anyone know the German word for schadenfreude . . . ?READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnd this one really is freakish because Leverkusen’s story is almost as extraordinary as Leicester City’s miracle title in 2015-16 — the season when Kane won his first Premier League Golden Boot and Tottenham ended up ‘third in a two-horse race’ behind Arsenal.Xabi Alonso’s side have no established world-class players and were in the relegation zone when their remarkable manager arrived 18 months ago.Yet the only player to have left north London last summer to become a Bundesliga winner is Leverkusen’s Granit Xhaka, not Kane.When Kane spoke to the English media in September, soon after his move to Munich, there was an acceptance that everyone assumed his new club would be crowned champions again this season.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSKane told us: “With Bayern Munich sometimes we expect them to win because they have won (the Bundesliga) for the last 11 years.“But in my short period, there is still a lot of pressure to win these trophies.As Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen seal Bundesliga title and leave Harry Kane on brink of trophyless season“We have not won the Cup for a few years and we haven’t won the Champions League for a few years, so there is definitely a lot to gain and a lot of pressure to take.”Kane wasn’t being arrogant, just realistic. The Bundesliga was a given but the German Cup and certainly the Champions League would be real achievements.Yet here we are, on the eve of a Champions League quarter-final second leg against Arsenal — of all teams — with the European Cup the only available silverware.The England captain is seven goals clear in the Bundesliga’s golden boot race. His tally of 32 league goals puts him 21 ahead of Leverkusen’s top scorers, Florian Wirtz and Victor Boniface.And Kane has genuinely improved Bayern, who are on target to beat last season’s Bundesliga points tally when they pipped Borussia Dortmund to the title.So Bayern’s failure is not down to Kane. None of his near-misses ever really are.Kane has been on top form this seasonCredit: APHe has scored 39 goals in all competitionsCredit: GettyHis individual brilliance is unquestionable. He has scored four hat-tricks in the most prolific debut Bundesliga season in history.And as well as his sheer volume of goals, he has been scoring some absolute corkers — having won four German ‘Goal of the Month’ awards.Kane will have a Bundesliga golden boot to go with three Premier League golden boots and one World Cup golden boot.He is England’s greatest goalscorer and Tottenham’s greatest goalscorer.The individual accolades have been piling up ever since he was named Millwall’s young player of the year while on loan at The Den in 2012 — the last year Bayern failed to rule Germany.And as we well know, Kane is no selfish goal-poacher.He has contributed 12 assists for Bayern and it is his all-round game which has surprised most German observers — if not his boss Thomas Tuchel, who witnessed Kane as the Premier League’s leading assist-maker as well as leading scorer in 2021.Kane’s Tottenham were Premier League runners-up to Antonio Conte’s Chelsea in 2017, they lost League Cup finals to Jose  Mourinho’s Chelsea in 2015 and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in 2021 ­— just days after Spurs sacked Mourinho.Then there was the 2019 Champions League final against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and the Euros final in 2021, when England reached their first major final in 55 years but lost to Italy on penalties, having led in the match and the shootout.The list of agonies is remarkable. It is difficult to find anything comparable in British sport.Jimmy White lost all six of his world snooker finals but won plenty of other trophies. Colin Montgomerie never won a Major golf tournament but there were Ryder Cups, world No 1 status and other tournament wins.English football’s greatest non-trophy winners were one-club men who stayed loyal to smaller clubs, like Tom Finney, Johnny Haynes and Matt Le Tissier.But Tottenham aren’t Preston, Fulham or Southampton. And Bayern Munich certainly aren’t.So Arsenal will encounter a wounded Kane at the Allianz Arena tomorrow with their tie all square at 2-2.But even if Bayern prevail, they would be clear underdogs against Manchester City or Real Madrid in the semis.It’s enough to make you believe in hexes and hoodoos and voodoo.And you would have to be an exceptionally mean-spirited Arsenal supporter to take any real pleasure from it.WAT NEXT OLLIE WATKINS was poor as an England starter in the friendly defeat by Brazil last month, with Ivan Toney more impressive as the No 9 against Belgium three days later.But seeing Watkins kill off Arsenal with such a sublime finish on Sunday, and considering his 19 goals and ten assists in the Premier League this season, makes it clear the Aston Villa striker must be Harry Kane’s understudy at the Euros.OH MANTHE frightening thing about Manchester United’s season is that they should really be lower than seventh in the Premier League.Even during their current run of one win in seven league matches, United’s results have been better than their performances.Erik ten Hag’s team deserved to lose each of their last three drawn games against Brentford, Liverpool and Bournemouth.On goal difference, United are ninth in the league, while only seven teams have scored fewer than their 47 goals.And if we give any credence to ‘expected points’, then that stat would have them 15th in the table.If Ten Hag’s men lose Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final to Championship side Coventry, it should not come as a major surprise.MUR BLIMEYDAFTEST quote of the week came from Burnley assistant manager Craig Bellamy.He watched blundering Clarets keeper Arijanet Muric gift Brighton an equaliser and said: “Never look at it as the goalkeeper’s mistake — it’s OUR mistake.”Yeah and give everyone a medal at the primary school sports day, just for turning up.EURO BLUESUNLESS there is an extraordinary comeback from either Liverpool or  West Ham in this Thursday’s second legs, there will be no Premier League team in next month’s Europa League final in Dublin.So there will have been no English winner of that competition for five consecutive seasons and only one English finalist — Manchester United, who lost on penalties to Villarreal in 2021.This doesn’t tally with the accepted wisdom that the Premier League is the most competitive on Earth, with the greatest strength in depth.READ MORE SUN STORIESKLIPP KLOPPJURGEN KLOPP says his wife wants him to take up dancing when he quits as Liverpool boss next month.Let’s hope he doesn’t take any tips from misfiring striker Darwin Nunez, who has the worst shot conversion rate in Europe’s big five leagues — and who seems to have two left feet whenever he gets near the dancefloor. More

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      Donny van de Beek’s career thrown into further chaos as transfer clause in Man Utd loanee’s contract refused

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      DONNY VAN DE BEEK has suffered yet another setback in his search for a way out of Old Trafford.The Manchester United loanee, 26, has spent the second half of this season with Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt.Donny van de Beek loan stint with Eintracht Frankfurt has not gone according to planCredit: GettyIncluded within the deal was an option-to-buy clause worth £9million plus £2.5m in add-ons.However, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano is now reporting Frankfurt will NOT make the deal a permanent one.He goes on to state Van de Beek will search for a “new chapter” and “new club” in the summer window.Van de Beek has started just four of Frankfurt’s 13 league games since arriving in January.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHe is yet to contribute a goal or assist for the German side.The 2022 Europa League winners sit sixth in the Bundesliga but 14 points adrift of fifth.As a result they are set to qualify for the Europa Conference League, but are not expected to take Van de Beek with them.The ex-Ajax midfielder played just 21 minutes for Man Utd during the first half of this season – having started only four games during Erik ten Hag’s opening campaign as manager.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSVan de Beek has featured just seven times since arriving at Frankfurt in JanuaryHe joined the Red Devils in 2020 for £39m.He has played 62 times for Man Utd, scoring two goals and providing two assists.Man Utd target brutally trolls Arsenal during wild celebrations with Granit Xhaka after Bayer Leverkusen clinch titlePrior to joining Frankfurt, his first loan spell came at Everton during the 2021/22 campaign when he played just seven times, scoring one goal. More

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      Former Premier League star wins Bundesliga title after snubbing TikTok transfer plea from Burnley owner’s daughter

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      FORMER Premier League star Nathan Tella has won the Bundesliga after rejecting a move to Burnley.The forward has made 31 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen this season, who wrapped up the title with a 5-0 win over Werder Bremen on Saturday.Nathan Tella celebrates with the Bundesliga trophyCredit: Twitter @NathanTella_11The forward has made 31 appearances in Bayer Leverkusen’s title-winning campaignCredit: GettyXabi Alonso’s side are still unbeaten this season and fans went wild invading the pitch after securing their first Bundesliga title.Tella could also win the DFB Pokal Cup and the Europa League in what has been another successful campaign for the Englishman.Last season he helped Burnley win the Championship and the Clarets were keen to make his loan move from Southampton permanent.Burnley had a bid for Tella rejected by the Saints, leading owner Alan Pace’s daughter to launch a ‘Free Nathan Tella’ campaign.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLIn a TikTok video Ashlyn Pace-Ferguson can be seen posting ‘missing posters’ for Tella before sharing clips of him celebrating in a Burnley shirt.Tella, who scored 17 goals during Burnley’s promotion campaign, instead joined Leverkusen for £20million.The 24-year-old was delighted to claim the Bundesliga title on Saturday and hailed the “amazing” achievement.He said: “It’s an amazing feeling. When you join a club you always aim high.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS”But the fans and the club, there was never a trophy in the Bundesliga, but as the season went on we started to get more of a feel that we could do something.”We just kept going and going and going, it’s been amazing.”As Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen seal Bundesliga title and leave Harry Kane on brink of trophyless season More

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      ‘I’ve come to hide’ says Bayer Leverkusen star as he gatecrashes live TV interview with ‘handsome’ reporter

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      JEREMIE FRIMPONG was forced to “hide” from his team-mates by gatecrashing a live TV interview after Bayer Leverkusen’s title win.The German side clinched their first Bundesliga title by beating Werder Bremen 5-0 at home on Sunday.Jeremie Frimpong was forced to ‘hide’ with ESPN’s Archie Rhind-TuttCredit: ESPNAfter the match, the wild celebrations of fans and players saw Frimpong drenched in beer.The celebrations continued into the home dressing room, with manager Xabi Alonso also drenched in beer.In an attempt to avoid another drenching, the Dutch full-back joined ESPN’s Archie Rhind-Tutt for an interview.Frimpong apologised for the smell of beer in his hair before explaining: “The coach tried to drench me, Edmond Tapsoba tried to drench me. I’ve come here to hide.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHe then ended the light-hearted interview by admiring Rhind-Tutt’s pink jacket.The 23-year-old admitted: “I like the pink by the way. Very nice. You look handsome.”His compliment left Rhind-Tutt blushing as the reporter replied: “Not everyone tells me that.”Frimpong has now scored 12 goals and registered 11 assists from right wing-back in 38 appearances across all competitions this season.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSHis performances have also seen the former Celtic defender linked with a summer move to Manchester United.Meanwhile, Leverkusen could still make more history this season.Frimpong trolls Arsenal after Xhaka wins the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen Alonso’s side remain unbeaten across all competitions with five Bundesliga matches remaining.They are also into the DFB Pokal final and face West Ham in their Europa League quarter-final second leg on Thursday.Leverkusen will take a 2-0 lead to the London Stadium following last week’s first leg in Germany. More

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      Man Utd ‘in talks with Bayer Leverkusen star’s agents as Ratcliffe’s transfer team look to solve defensive woes’

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      MANCHESTER UNITED are in “concrete” talks with Bayer Leverkusen title winner Jeremie Frimpong, reports suggest.Frimpong, 23, starred in Leverkusen’s title clinching 5-0 win over Werder Bremen yesterday.Jeremie Frimpong’s management are in talks with Man Utd and Bayern Munich over a transferCredit: RexThe match saw Xabi Alonso’s side clinch the Bundesliga title for the first time in their history, and while thus far unbeaten no less. However, despite Alonso committing to the club for next season amid managerial links to Liverpool and Bayern Munich, he is braced for a mass exodus of talent as financial juggernauts lurk.Among them is Man Utd, who are struggling to pick up Premier League wins, let alone the trophy.And according to reporter Christian Falk’s fact file on CaughtOffside, Frimpong’s management are discussing the possibility of a transfer to Old Trafford.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLFrimpong has an exit clause in his contract running until 2028 that stands at £40m.Although any club after the right-back will need to move quickly, with the clause only active until the start of the European Championships in June.Man Utd, who are going into the summer under the sporting direction of new minority owners Ineos and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, will face competition from Real Madrid and Bayern.Like the Red Devils, the toppled Bavarian giants are said to be in “concrete” talks with Frimpong’s management over a deal.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSFrimpong, who was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands but also lived in Manchester and Glasgow, has played 38 times so far in all competitions this season.With an attacking role from right wing-back this season, he has netted 12 goals and added 11 assists.Man Utd’s top targets for the transfer windowFrimpong was seen taking a swipe at Arsenal as he celebrated alongside former Gunners star Granit Xhaka.This may have earned him some favour with the Man Utd faithful, despite his links to the Manchester City academy.In an interview with ESPN, he also joked he was hiding from his team-mates to not get drenched by beer in the post match celebrations.Man Utd have struggled defensively this season, and club transfer chiefs are looking to overhaul the defence and midfield units.Frimpong’s team-mate Edmond Tapsoba has been linked with a sensational double switch to Old Trafford in that regard.Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite is a homegrown option in central defence.Meanwhile, the likes of Joao Neves and Teun Koopmeiners have been linked to add legs to the midfield.Frimpong has impressed for Bayer this season More

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      Bayern Munich ‘ready to make humiliating approach to sacked boss after losing title to Bayer Leverkusen’

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      BAYERN MUNICH are reportedly ready to rehire Julian Nagelsmann.Thomas Tuchel is confirmed to be leaving the Bundesliga giants at the end of this season.Julian Nagelsmann is the favourite to become the new Bayern Munich managerCredit: GettyThomas Tuchel is set to leave at the end of the seasonCredit: GettyThe manager only has the Champions League left to compete for this season.Bayern were dumped out of the DFB-Pokal by third-tier Saarbrucken back in November.This came after the club lost the German Super Cup to RB Leipzig at the start of the season.To make matters worse, Bayer Leverkusen secured the Bundesliga title with five games to spare, putting an end to Bayern’s 12-year domination.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSTuchel’s departure was announce in February, with the club now looking to appoint his successor.The Bavarians’ first choice was said to be poaching the manager who took their crown – Xabi Alonso of Bayer Leverkusen.But after Alonso committed to stay another season with the Bundesliga champs, Christian Falk reports that Bayern have turned their attention to their former boss.Nagelsmann was sacked by the club last season due to the lack of player development, despite leaving them in an unassailable position at the top of the Bundesliga.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSIt has also been claimed that there are three other names on Bayern’s list of potential replacements for Tuchel.Brighton and Hove Albion’s Roberto De Zerbi, former Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick and Benfica manager Roger Schmidt are the other candidates.Bayer Leverkusen celebrate in dressing room as they seal Bundesliga titleBayern appreciate De Zerbi for his style of play, but his inability to speak German and large team of assistants is apparently not ideal.The Italian has reportedly been approached and is interested in the role.Bayern would move on to these options should Nagelsmann opt to stay as Germany’s manager.Outgoing Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has not been named as a potential option to replace Tuchel at Bayern, but he is in the running to replace Nagelsmann as the national team boss if he moves back to Munich.Klopp is set to take a second sabbatical of his career and it is claimed that Germany are willing to accommodate that wish and hire him in 2025.Tuchel showed why he could be the perfect man for Man Utd, says Andy DillonBy Andy Dillon
      TOMMY TUCHEL could not have done it better had he submitted his CV to LinkedIn or Indeed.
      Somehow mustering some gumption from the worst Bayern Munich team in more than a decade to stop a rampant Arsenal dead in their tracks is a spectacular job advert for a manager soon to be looking for work.
      If Sir Jim Ratcliffe wasn’t watching from his Old Trafford office or from the cinema room in one of his tax havens, he should have been.
      They may have even sat up and taken notice in Newcastle or in the owners’ Riyadh hub as Tuchel reminded everyone of his credentials as a top-level coach with devilish timing.
      If change is coming then Tuchel is playing a trump card.
      His side turned up and cowed the team that, as far as the current Premier League goes, is the best in England.
      It may only add to the questions around Tuchel that after tossing away the only league easier to win than Scotland’s or Spain’s, Munich have sprung to life in Europe.
      After 11 years unopposed as German champions, Chelsea’s former manager has chucked it in at home in a remarkable act of ineptitude. But freak years can happen.
      Tuchel is an enigma. But that is part of the appeal as much as winning the Champions League with Chelsea just three months after taking the job.
      With no new signings, he took a team that had lost five of the previous ten games and turned them into European Champions.
      With Ratcliffe considering swingeing budget cuts at Old Trafford, a coach who can perform wonders on peanuts would be music to his ears.
      Click here to ready Andy’s column in full.
      Or to read more from Andy Dillon, click here. More

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      Bayern Munich star hit by ‘Harry Kane curse’ as ‘Undertaker-style’ streak comes to an end after 12 YEARS

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      KINGSLEY COMAN has been hit by the Harry Kane curse as his incredible streak comes to an end.The Bayern Munich star has won trophies every season of his career since making his debut in 2013.Kingsley Coman has lost his record of winning the league every seasonCredit: GettyFans have blamed Harry Kane’s arrivalCredit: GettyComan, 27, had won the league title in Ligue 1, Serie A and the Bundesliga.The winger has in total won 24 domestic titles including the Champions League.However, his run of winning the league title every season has now come to an end.The Bundesliga was won by an undefeated Bayer Leverkusen this season.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSLeverkusen completed their first-ever top-flight title with a win over Werder Bremen on Sunday.And fans claim to have figured out the reason behind the disastrous campaign for Coman and Bayern.They pointed to the arrival of Harry Kane last summer and think he has brought his “trophyless curse” to the club.One posted: “Kingsley Coman FAILS to win the league title for the FIRST time in his carer. The Harry Kane curse.”Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERA second wrote: “The Harry Kane VS Kingsley Coman effect just got its winner.”A third commented: “Coman wins a league title every season of his career, whereas Kane goes trophyless again. Someone’s streak coming to an end like the undertaker streak.”Inside Bayer Leverkusen’s wild dressing room title party with Xabi Alonso drenched in beer TWICE as Bayern streak endsA fourth said: “I think Kane is just cursed.”Another added: “Kane jinx > > > > > >.”Coman’s run of winning a trophy every season now relies on Bayern winning the Champions League.The Bavarian club will need to get past Arsenal on Wednesday at the Allianz Arena after drawing the first-leg 2-2. More