When Harry Kane graced the field, Bayern Munich seemed destined for the Champions League final. In his absence, however, their fate took a different turn.
Thomas Tuchel made the decision to replace Kane in the 85th minute during the match against Real Madrid. Up until that moment, Bayern held a slim lead and were on course to secure a spot at Wembley, with the English captain leading the charge.
While there were other contributing factors at play – such as Manuel Neuer’s mistake that led to Joselu’s crucial goal, and Madrid’s ability to triumph in challenging European fixtures – the substitution has been identified as the pivotal moment.
This scenario epitomizes Bayern’s 2023-24 season, where they appeared adrift without Kane’s presence. As Kane concludes his first season at Bayern empty-handed, it underscores the team’s reliance on his influence.
Bayern Munich aimed to secure their seventh European Cup title, while Harry Kane sought his first major trophy despite his impressive career record. Kane had a remarkable season, scoring 44 goals in all competitions, marking his best scoring performance to date.
However, Bayern Munich’s shortcomings led to a disappointing season as they failed to clinch a major trophy for the first time since 2011-12.
During the 2011-12 season, Bayern ended up without any trophies, while Kane was concluding his loan spell from Tottenham to Millwall. He managed to score seven goals in 22 League One games and was still a year away from making his debut in the Premier League.
In the current season, Kane has been almost solely responsible for Bayern’s attempt to achieve glory.
Even though Jamal Musiala, Bayern’s second highest scorer, was also substituted in the match against Madrid, he has only scored 12 goals in all competitions.
Unfortunately, despite Kane’s efforts, he fell just short due to poor performances and questionable decisions made by those around him.
Bayern lost their 11-year hold on the Bundesliga title to Bayer Leverkusen, were eliminated from the German Cup by third-tier Saarbrucken, and now they will be shocked after appearing to be on track for an all-German final in the Champions League.
The match at the Santiago Bernabeu started quietly, but Kane came to life in the 28th minute with a powerful volley from the D, forcing Andriy Lunin to make a full-stretch save to his left.
However, the rest of the Bayern team struggled to keep up, resulting in Madrid’s dominance. Neuer’s exceptional saves kept the tie level until Kane made a crucial contribution.
Although Alphonso Davies’ goal with his supposedly weaker right foot caught attention, it was Kane who initiated the play by dropping deep and delivering a brilliant pass to the left for the Canadian full-back to exploit, cut inside, and score.
Kane’s value to Bayern extends far beyond his goal-scoring abilities. He even took the lead in complaining to the referee when Nacho pushed Joshua Kimmich in the face, just before Madrid seemingly equalized, only for the goal to be disallowed by VAR.
However, the turning point came with five minutes remaining when Tuchel substituted Kane with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as part of a series of changes aimed at securing the victory.