BAYING MUNICH
Kane: This club has an expectation of success
THEY have failed to win the Bundesliga crown for the first time in 12 years.
But do not believe for a second that has rocked the “expectation” of Bayern Munich when it comes to their demand and desire to become the kings of Europe.
Harry Kane yesterday spelt that out as he spoke of the “togetherness” which he is convinced can take them to greater heights in the competition once again.
“We have got a lot of experience and a lot of players who have played in big games, big moments,” said the England captain. “It is no secret here that the club set out to win the Champions League every season.
“So there is an expectation. If you look at our performances this year, there has been a different type of performance in the Champions League.
“I feel like we have maybe been together more, willing to do more on the pitch defensively and in other aspects.”
Kane, 30, has enjoyed an incredible first season with the German giants, scoring 39 goals in all competitions.
The Champions League is his last shot at silverware. By their own standards, it has been a hugely disappointing season for Bayern as Bayer Leverkusen have already wrapped up the Bundesliga title.
But as Kane says, they have a team full of winners.
Thomas Muller, Joshua Kimmich, Manuel Neuer and Leon Goretzka have won the European Cup (celebrating in 2020, right) and are expected to start against Arsenal in tonight’s quarter-final second leg. That will only add to the sense of expectation in the Allianz Arena.
Kane said: “It is a time to raise our game, time for me and the players who have been in big pressure situations to step up and be counted.
“It is going to be an amazing atmosphere, it is going to be a quarter-final Champions League night.
“There is a lot of expectation but I think there is a good belief in the squad that we can achieve something.”
Kane is desperate to keep his own season alive and to get away from the tag of never having won any silverware, despite his own personal success with club and country. He also says he feels the extra responsibility of being a £90million star signing, but will not view this season as a personal failure if they finish without a trophy. Kane said: “It depends what you define by a failure. Of course every player, every club, wants to win trophies – that’s the ultimate goal every season.
“But there’s a process into winning, a process into the individual and the team.
“You want to improve as a player individually every year, you want to get better, you want to show the world your capabilities and you want to push yourself to the very limits.”
Football always delivers fairytales and Kane facing Arsenal, the club which released him as a nine-year-old, was written in the stars this season.
And the former Tottenham striker says he still relishes playing the
Gunners. He said: “I think it was one of the biggest games of the season for pretty much my whole career, we played them at least twice a year for the last 10 years and it was always a big occasion.
“Maybe it was in the back of the mind, being released from a young age, and there’s always a point to prove.
“I’m the type of player who, throughout my career, has had points to prove along the way – I don’t think that ever leaves you, I think it’ll always be in my DNA until I retire.
“There’ll always be a reason to prove someone wrong or to prove to myself I can do something. But I’m here at Bayern Munich, it’s just about being a top team in the Champions League.”