Daily Express

Kane’s loading his six-shooter

- Paul Brown

HARRY KANE believes he has six games to prove he is world class. After Kane destroyed Everton on Saturday, Toffees boss Ronald Koeman insisted the England striker was only just behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the greatest.

Now Kane aims to prove it in the Champions League – the grandest stage in club football – as he leads Tottenham into action against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley tonight.

“If you want to be put in that bracket you have to perform in that competitio­n,” he said.

“It’s a big stage, it’s massive. All the best players are there. You have to produce your best against the best.

“There’s six group games to prove that, to try to score as many goals as possible and try to perform well.”

Kane scored twice in three Champions League games last season but Spurs went out at the group stage after winning just one of their three games at Wembley.

They have an even tougher task this time in a group that includes holders Real Madrid.

But Kane said Spurs had a point to prove after last season, when they also crashed out of the Europa League to Gent.

“Ever since then we’ve been waiting for this moment to do better,” he said. “We have a point to prove. We have to perform on the big stage.

“We want to be known as one of the best teams in Europe and to do that you have to perform in the Champions League. “A lot of teams in the Premier League fear us. We tick along. We win games. We get high in the league and then people start talking about us.

“Hopefully come the business end of the season we’ll be up there again. In the Champions League, if you want to win, like any competitio­n, you’ve got to play the best teams.

“This is a chance to see where we’re at – to play against the best. Madrid have been in fantastic form. You’ll have to play them one way or another.”

The last time Spurs took on Dortmund they were outclassed 5-1 on aggregate in the Europa League two seasons ago.

“They’re fantastic a team (3-4-3) LLORIS ALDERWEIRE­LD SANCHEZ VERTONGHEN AURIER DIER DEMBELE DAVIES ERIKSEN KANE SON AUBAMEYANG REFEREE: G Rocchi (Italy). ❑ CRISTIANO RONALDO will make his first start of the season when Real Madrid begin the defence of their Champions League crown against APOEL Nicosia at the Bernabeu tonight. The Portuguese striker was given a five-game ban for being sent off and pushing a referee in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup against Barcelona in August. He missed the second leg plus three Liga games and will also sit out next week’s trip to Real Sociedad. However, he is clear to face the Cypriot champions and Real coach Zinedine Zidane said: “He’s right mentally and very happy to play, because this is what he really loves, playing football.” with fantastic players,” said Kane. “But if we play to the best of our ability we feel we’ll win the game.

“We’ve got a great team and we’ve been playing together for the last two or three years. We know how we want to play.

“We’ve got a philosophy here that we stick to and understand very well.”

But Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino is without suspended star Dele Alli and injured trio Danny Rose, Victor Wanyama and Erik Lamela.

He has vowed to learn from the club’s continenta­l failures, saying: “That is so important, that experience, although very painful. We could not be at the level we should have been but, today, it’s not an excuse.

“We need to be ready to compete at a higher level. We know very well what the competitio­n demands from you and that’s so important.

“Three years ago I said we needed to reduce the gap with the big sides and three years after we are fighting to win the Premier League. Why not now start again to create the same in the Champions League and try to reduce the gap with these clubs?”

Pochettino knows his team are in for a stern examinatio­n. “The group will be very tough,” he said. “In theory it should be Real Madrid first and the others trying for second place, but then football is not about theory.

“It is so important we start well and get the three points.” (4-3-3) BURKI PISZCZEK PAPASTATHO­POULOS TOPRAK ZAGADOU SAHIN CASTRO GOTZE PHILIPP PULISIC

 ?? Picture: STEVEN PASTON ?? WORLD IS HIS OYSTER: Kane is aiming to star on biggest stage
Picture: STEVEN PASTON WORLD IS HIS OYSTER: Kane is aiming to star on biggest stage
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