Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Kane keen make mark in Champions League
HARRY Kane has proved himself in the Premier League and now wants to do it on the world stage by firing Tottenham to success in the Champions League.
Spurs host Borussia Dortmund tonight as both teams begin the race to escape Group H, which also features reigning champions Real Madrid and Cypriots APOEL.
Kane has hit more than 20 goals in the Premier League for three seasons in a row and his last two totals of 25 and 29 have been enough to earn him the Golden Boot.
But the England striker now has Europe’s premier competition in his sights, starting against Dortmund at Wembley.
“I have said before I want to break into that world-class bracket. To do that you have to play well in the Champions League,” Kane said.
“The Champions League is a big stage, all the best players in Europe, if not the world, are here.
“And to be the best you have to produce your best against the best. I have six group games to prove that by hopefully scoring as many goals as possible and performing well.”
After failing to progress from a relatively-kind group last year that included CSKA Moscow, Leverkusen and Monaco, Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino reflected his squad had struggled to cope with the additional physical and mental demands of the Champions League.
They are one season wiser this year and with the likes of Davinson Sanchez, Fernando Llorente and Serge Aurier added over t he summer, their squad may be deeper, too.
“Last season was our first experience of the Champions League — previously we play Europa League, for 98, 99 per cent of the players, and for myself, too,” Pochettino said.
“That experience (of last season) is important. We know very well what the competition demands from you, and I think that is so important.
“It was a very painful experience because we could not be at the level we should have been but it’s not an excuse. We know that the Dortmund clash will be very tough. We need to be ready to compete at a higher level.”
Dortmund, meanwhile, are facing something of an injury crisis as up to nine players l ook set to be unavailable.
Neven Subotic has fallen ill and was unable to arrive for training while captain Marcel Schmelzer and Marc Bartra were both taken off injured against Freiburg on Saturday.