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    Harry Kane breaks Bundesliga record with stunning hat-trick as Bayern Munich thump Dortmund in Der Klassiker

    HARRY KANE smashed a Bundesliga record as his hat-trick helped Bayern Munich cruise to victory over Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker.The England captain has been nothing short of sensational since his £104million move from Tottenham in August.
    Harry Kane hit a hat-trick as Bayern Munich thrashed Borussia Dortmund 4-0Credit: EPA
    Kane has now set a new Bundesliga record for goals in his first 10 gamesCredit: Getty
    And Kane took his goal-scoring to new heights on Saturday with a brilliant treble at the Signal Iduna Park.
    The hitman now has 15 goals under former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel.
    Kane also hit a second-half hat-trick in last weekend’s 8-0 win over Darmstadt.
    And it means he has the most goals by any player in their first 10 Bundesliga matches.
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    Dortmund went into Saturday’s clash just two points behind Bayern.
    But they got off to a terrible start when centre-back Dayot Upamecano opened the scoring for the visitors after just four minutes.
    It got worse soon after, with Kane netting his first of the day in the ninth minute.
    A fiercely-contested match followed as both sides looked to keep pace with Bundesliga table toppers Bayer Leverkusen.
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    But it was Bayern who bagged the next crucial goal, with Kane scoring his second in the 72nd minute.
    He wasn’t done yet either, blasting home for his hat-trick in the third minute of added time.
    Bayern have now pulled five points clear of Dortmund after winning four on the bounce.
    They are also the leading goalscorers in the Bundesliga, and boast the best defence too.
    But Leverkusen remain two points clear at the summit, having won 3-2 at Hoffenheim earlier in the day. More

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    I worked with teenage Harry Kane at Tottenham… what he did blew my mind and I knew he was destined for greatness

    HARRY KANE spent hours on the training pitch perfecting his shooting technique with ex-Spurs assistant boss Steffen Freund.So when the striker lines up for his first-ever Der Klassiker between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, there will not be a prouder observer in Germany than Freund.
    Harry Kane did extra practice at Spurs when trying to break into the teamCredit: AP:Associated Press
    Steffen Freund helped coach Kane when he was a teenagerCredit: Action Images – Reuters
    Since joining Bayern, the England captain has delivered 14 goals and seven assists in 13 games — and the heavyweight clash away at the Westfalenstadion at teatime today will be his most eagerly anticipated battle yet.
    Kane follows in the footsteps of Freund, who, after spending five years as a player with Spurs and Dortmund, knows all about featuring in both the North London derby and the biggest game in German football.
    Freund, 53, was Tottenham’s assistant coach between 2012 and 2014 for both Andre Villas-Boas and Tim Sherwood.
    He insists Kane is being rewarded for his remarkable dedication, evident when he struggled to break through at Spurs.
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    Freund said: “I will always remember my first moment with Harry.
    “We were at the old training ground, Spurs Lodge, and I was in a coaching staff room when Harry came back from the European Under-19s Championship with England.
    “He had not had any holiday but he came straight back and said that he wanted to train with AVB.
    “I said to him, ‘Harry, you need two weeks or more to be ready for the season’.
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    “But he was excited and he wanted to train without any holiday. That summed him up.
    “Today, Kane is a world-class striker and some of that is because he was always on the training pitch, always wanting to do more, always wanting to be better.
    “At the beginning of his career, it was hard for him. He was on loan at Norwich and on loan at Leicester.
    “But each time he came back to Spurs, he always asked me, ‘Can we do more shooting after this training session?’.
    “I would say to him, ‘To be more successful, you have to be in a position to score and find the net inside from the post. You must always try to find the corner and not with the highest power but with 90 per cent power’.
    “He practised, practised, then found the corner from every position.
    “At training, it was just me and him. And then on other sessions, it was him and another one of our coaches. His attitude was amazing.
    “At one stage, he had Emmanuel Adebayor, Jermain Defoe, Roberto Soldado and Erik Lamela in front of him at Spurs, so it was difficult.
    “But Harry would never give up. That is why he is now one of the world’s best strikers.
    “I understand why Tottenham fans will always say, ‘He’s one of our own’ but it is good to see him do so well in Germany.”
    Freund now works as a TV pundit and co-commentator in Germany.
    He is delighted at the way Kane has adjusted to life at Bayern after his move from Spurs in a £104million deal.
    He added: “After Robert Lewandowski left, Bayern had not been playing with a striker and this was not good for the manager, Thomas Tuchel.
    “Bayern were not controlling games but now Harry has come in and everything has changed.
    “He is a legend at Spurs. But now he is at Bayern, a bigger club than Spurs, and he could win the Champions League and German silverware. Harry deserves that.”
    Asked to compare Der Klassiker and Spurs’ clashes with Arsenal, Freund said: “It is not a similar derby. Dortmund v Bayern is closer to the Clasico, Real Madrid v Barca.
    “North London is more like Schalke against Dortmund. If you support Spurs, you hate Arsenal. If you support Schalke, you hate Dortmund. If you support Bayern, you don’t hate Dortmund, you look forward to the game.
    “As for the game on Saturday, it will be close. If Dortmund beat Bayern, which they could well do, it could be a close title race, while Bayer Leverkusen are great to watch and doing well.”
    As for Spurs, Freund said: “I am sure Daniel Levy is sitting at home happy. He got a big transfer fee for Harry but his team are doing well.
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    “It was the right moment for both Harry and the club to change.
    “It is incredible to see Spurs doing so well under Ange Postecoglou. I would love it if Spurs won the title.”
    Harry Kane scored a screamer from his own-half in his previous Bundesliga gameCredit: Getty More

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    Bayern Munich stunned by third-tier minnows in German FA Cup as fans say ‘Harry Kane trophy curse strikes again’

    HARRY KANE sat on the bench as Bayern Munich were dumped out of the German cup by third-tier Saarbrucken.The Bundesliga champions suffered a shock defeat after Marcel Gaus netted a last-minute winner for the home side.
    UNBELIEVABLE SCENES FOR SAARBRÜCKEN! 😱😱Bayern Munich knocked out of the DFB Pokal by the 3. Bundesliga side in the 96th minute thanks to this Marcel Gaus goal 👏The magic of the cup! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/8apyoGBu1l— Viaplay Sports UK (@ViaplaySportsUK) November 1, 2023

    Harry Kane was left on the bench as Bayern Munich were dumped out of the cupCredit: Getty
    Marcel Gaus struck a last-minute winner for SaarbrueckenCredit: AFP
    Bayern had taken the lead through Thomas Muller in the 16th minute.
    But unlike on Saturday when a Kane hat-trick inspired an 8-0 win, the German giants took their foot off the gas and went into half-time level.
    Manager Thomas Tuchel made several changes to his side and brought on the big guns in search of a winner, including Serge Gnabry and Jamal Musiala.
    But Kane was mysteriously left on the bench and had to watch on as Saarbrucken snatched a winner.
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    Several Bayern stars reportedly ran straight down the tunnel with Musiala believed to have shouted “unbelievable” as he shook his head.
    Bayern had 18 shots to their opponent’s four and a whopping 75 per cent possession, but the minnows who are 15th in Bundesliga 3 found a way to win.
    Bayern are now out of the German Cup and fans joked Kane’s trophy curse has struck again.
    One fan said: “Harry has taken his jinx to Germany.”
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    Another added: “You can take the boy out of the Spurs…”
    A third wrote: “The Harry Kane effect 😢”
    And another commented: “The Kane curse is real.”
    A disappointed Tuchel said after the match: “We weren’t arrogant or took it lightly. There are 100 explanations or none. It feels strange.
    “Everyone who says we have to win here is right. There’s no clever explanation, we are extremely disappointed.” More

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    Chelsea star Trevoh Chalobah ‘offered Champions League transfer’ with Blues exit in January ‘100 per cent confirmed’

    TREVOH CHALOBAH has reportedly been offered a move to Borussia Dortmund.The Chelsea ace has not made a single appearance this season as he has been sidelined with a thigh injury.
    Trevoh Chalobah is reportedly wanted by Borussia DortmundCredit: Getty
    Chalobah, 24, could now be the latest Englishman to swap the Premier League for the Bundesliga.
    Dortmund have become known for signing young English players such as Jadon Sancho, Jude Bellingham and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens.
    The German outfit were keen on signing Southampton defender Armel Bella Kotchap in the summer but took a “risk” not to.
    News outlet BILD, have now reported that the club are interested in making a move for Chalobah.
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    The report suggests that Dortmund have “set its sights” on the Chelsea ace in the winter window.
    Furthermore, Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Chelsea have decided to cash in on the defender and sell him in the window.
    In his CaughtOffside column, he wrote that the decision to move Chalobah on is “100 per cent confirmed”.
    Despite not playing this season, his exit will see the Blues look to sign a replacement.
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    Chalobah has made 63 appearances for the West London side while also turning out for the likes of Huddersfield Town and Ligue 1 club Lorient.
    Earlier this month, fans were split on whether or not Chalobah should be sold.
    The Blues, however, have been tipped with a move for Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba.
    The Burkina Faso international is rated as one of the best defenders in Europe following his performances in Germany.
    He would not come cheap, having only recently extended his contract at the BayArena. More

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    Watch bizarre moment referee gives ‘FOURTH OFFICIAL’ a yellow card – but all is not as it seems

    A REFEREE appeared to book his own fourth official during a Bundesliga match.The incident which took place in a recent game between Magdeburg and Paderborn left fans puzzled.

    Referee Felix Brych appeared to book the fourth official
    Some fans think a Paderborn coach lifted up the board and was subsequently punished
    Some claim the ref brandished a yellow card because a Paderborn coach held up the substitutes board to signal a change – rather than the fourth official doing so.
    Paderborn boss Lukas Kwasniok watched on with bemusement as what appeared to be a member of his coaching staff was booked.
    Kwasniok was in the process of making two substitutions as he looked to close out a 1-0 win, which he failed to do so as Lucas Castaignos equalised moments later.
    One fan reacted to the incident saying: “The guy that holds up the board isn’t actually a ref he is part of the coaching staff so it isn’t the ref booking another ref.”
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    Another added: “If you see the shirt that he wear, he is not a ref, he is one of the team’s staff in this match. According to the regulation, only a ref that can hold and organise a substitution board 😂”
    A third wrote: “Friendly fire.”
    And another commented: “Yellow card for time wasting.”
    It has been an eventful season in Bundesliga so far with Harry Kane scoring from inside his own half against Darmstadt on Saturday.
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    The England captain bagged his second hat-trick of the season as Bayern Munich won 8-0, with all eight goals scoring in the second half.
    However Kane is still not the league’s top goalscorer – that honour goes to Stuttgart star Serhou Guirassy who has 14 goals in just eight games. More

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    Harry Kane scores ridiculous effort from inside OWN HALF as fans call it ‘craziest goal I’ve seen’ in bonkers Bayern win

    HARRY KANE scored from his own half as Bayern Munich routed Darmstadt.With his side already 4-0 up, the England captain struck a remarkable, dipping shot into the back of the net from just short of the halfway line.

    Harry Kane lines up the ball from his own halfCredit: BEIN Sports
    The England captain launches a shot from his own halfCredit: AP
    The ball sails over the head of the Darmstadt keeper and inCredit: BEIN Sports
    Kane, 30, had been fed the ball by Thomas Muller, before sparking pandemonium in the stands with his strike.
    He also had fans swooning on social media.
    One wrote: “Craziest football goal I’ve seen in years. From the middle of the pitch, Harry Kane for you.”
    While a second gushed: “Perfect goal.”
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    A third added: “Oh my word Harry.”
    The crazy match had actually gotten off to a poor start for Bayern, with Joshua Kimmich red carded after just four minutes.
    Darmstadt shot themselves in the foot, however, with BOTH Klaus Gjasula and Matej Maglica also being sent off by the 41st minute.
    The three red cards was the most ever shown in the first half of a Bundesliga match.
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    Kane produced a memorable effort from his own half
    At half-time the two sides remained level at 0-0, before an avalanche of second-half goals for Bayern.
    Kane got his side going by scoring in the 51st minute.
    Leroy Sane made it two on 56 minutes, before Jamal Musiala added a third on the hour.
    Sane scored again in the 64th minute, before Kane’s second strike on 69 minutes.
    A shell-shocked Darmstadt conceded a sixth just two minutes later via Muller, with Musiala bagging a seventh on 76.
    Bayern weren’t done there, with Kane completing his hat-trick in the 88th minute – already his second treble for his new club as they ran out 8-0 winners.
    Harry Kane was in rampant form for Bayern MunichCredit: Getty More

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    Chelsea star SUSPENDED by club after he snubbed manager’s handshake before breaking down in tears

    CHELSEA star David Datro Fofana has been suspended for a week by loan club Union Berlin.The forward snubbed a handshake with boss Urs Fischer after being substituted against Napoli.
    Union Berlin staff members attempt to console David Datro FofanaCredit: Getty
    The forward joined Chelsea from Molde in JanuaryCredit: Getty
    Fofana was furious at being taken off with his side trailing 1-0 in the 70th minute of the Champions League clash.
    After leaving the field, the 20-year-old refused to shake his boss Fischer’s hand.
    According to Sky Germany reporter Lisa de Ruiter, Fofana has been given a one-week ban by his club.
    This will see him miss out on this Saturday’s Bundesliga trip to Werder Bremen.
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    After snubbing his boss’ handshake against Napoli, Fofana sunk his head into his shirt while sitting on the bench.
    Footage appeared to show him in tears and he was subsequently consoled by colleagues.
    After the game, Fofana took to Instagram to apologise for his response.
    He wrote: “Following my behaviour during my exit from the field, I wanted to apologise to the club, the coach, my team-mates and the supporters.
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    “This gesture was not intended and in no way does it represent my attitude, all this was generated as a result of frustration because I wanted to continue helping the team to obtain a positive result.
    “We will continue to work and come back even stronger in the championship and in this great competition.”
    Asked about the incident, Fischer said: “There will be a talk. But I find it strange that this is the first question I get after such a great game from us.”
    Fofana joined Chelsea from Molde in January.

    The Ivorian made four appearances for the Blues before being sent out on loan this season.
    He is yet to get off the mark in eight appearances for his loan team.
    Fofana is yet to get off the mark in the Bundesliga More

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    Watch incredible moment Champions League team line up for post-match pep talk from FANS despite ninth straight loss

    UNION BERLIN fans have been praised for their support of the club’s players despite the team losing their NINTH game in a row.Union were defeated by Serie A champions Napoli in the Champions League last night, with a Giacomo Raspadori goal enough to separate the sides.
    Players were given a motivational speech by the ultras despite losing nine games in a rowCredit: Reddit @r/soccer
    🇩🇪📢 Union Berlin ultras spoke to their players after the 1-0 loss to Napoli yesterday and 9 consecutive defeats…”You lost to Napoli who had only 1 shot on target, come on! We are living the dream in the Champions League.” (@IFTVMarco) pic.twitter.com/hyjr933SeN— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) October 25, 2023

    The result compounds a nightmare start to the season for Union fans, who have been living something of a dream until this point.
    The East Berlin side were only promoted to Germany’s top division for the first time in 2019, with their only goal that season being to survive in the Bundesliga.
    But they went on to thrive in the league, finishing 11th in their first season in the Premier division.
    Since then, they dragged themselves to the Europa Conference League, then the Europa League, and finally, last season, qualifying for the Champions League.
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    But this season has seen the team crash back to reality.
    After winning their opening two Bundesliga fixtures, they lost their next six, a losing run that now stretches to nine games in all competitions.
    But the club’s Ultras section made it clear that they will be sticking with the players.
    The players were told by the Ultras: “That was awesome today against Napoli, the best team in Italy. You played very well here today. They had half a chance, for f**** sake! Whatever. Buckle up and keep at it!”
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    Fans on Twitter were quick to praise the loyalty shown by the team’s fans, with one writing: “I can only imagine how much the players appreciate the fans sticking with them, not being afraid of getting turned on.”
    Another wrote: “This is how you know the game’s not gone.”
    A third commented: “What a great set of fans Union Berlin have. They were chanting from the 1st minute and never stopped.”
    Union are currently hovering one place above the Bundesliga relegation zone in 15th on six points, and face a tricky trip to Werder Bremen this weekend. More