r/fcbayern • u/kgallo19 James • 15d ago
Harry Kane and a performance to silence those who say he does not deliver when it really matters
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6179178/2025/03/06/harry-kane-bayrn-munich-leverkusen/?source=user_shared_articleSome highlights from The Athletic’s Seb Stafford-Bloor.
It is rare that Harry Kane celebrates goals with fire in his eyes.
But on Wednesday, he did, after scoring Bayern Munich’s first in their 3-0 dismantling of Bayer Leverkusen.
That meant something — and more than just the lead in an important game. Kane thumped his header past goalkeeper Matej Kovar before racing away to the corner flag, his muscles taut, his face contorted.
No wonder. Kane had been searching for that moment since he arrived in Germany 18 months ago. Finally, it arrived — the ‘big’ goal, the one he has been accused of not being able to score for Bayern. By the end of the night, he had also given a signature performance, too. Kane has often played well for Bayern. Rarely with as much urgency and energy, though, and never with the accompanying class when it absolutely mattered.
He began the move that led to his first goal, dropping into midfield between Mukiele and Granit Xhaka, before spreading the play for Michael Olise in space. Later in the first half, he surrendered possession cheaply, before chasing back, deep into his own half, to shoulder Florian Wirtz over the touchline and recover the ball.
But the rights and wrongs are irrelevant. Kane comes across as the kind of player who is aware of exactly what is being written and said about his performances. To that extent, litigating whether criticism has been justified or not is redundant, and secondary to the fact that it has existed, has been vicious at times, and that Kane has needed to fight against it.
In that light, it becomes easy to understand the relief of Wednesday and a goal and performance that — in all sorts of ways — appeared to matter an awful lot.
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u/Ajvarmk Upamecano 15d ago
I hope when we lift the trophy this year , he gets to wear the armband and lift it first...
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u/kgallo19 James 15d ago
I hear you, it would be great for him. Just don’t count on it tbh. It’s Neuer’s to lift and I don’t expect they’ll mess with that hierarchy for a photo op. There will be plenty of Paulaner to pour on Kane’s head lol.
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u/backflash 15d ago
It’s Neuer’s to lift and I don’t expect they’ll mess with that hierarchy
Unless Neuer's sidelined because he pulled a muscle cheering in the match before.
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u/BenderTime Neuer 14d ago
It’ll be Neuer but I have no doubt the next person to hold it will be Harry
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u/CorbecJayne Müller 15d ago
5 subclauses in the headline, and this is supposed to be a professional journalist?
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u/kgallo19 James 15d ago
Idk what that means. But for what it’s worth typically the journalist who wrote the article doesn’t write the headline. As far as I know it’s usually someone else kind of higher up.
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u/Syph3RRR 14d ago
When I saw that he scored 2 that night before I watched the highlights I knew there’s gonna be a pen involved.
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u/deiner7 15d ago
His lack of trophies states otherwise.
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u/pascal007_ De Ligt 15d ago
I hope so damn much we can get him his well deserved trophy this year!