Harry Kane, the renowned English striker, has issued a plea to Bayern Munich following their triumph over Lazio in the Champions League last-16 encounter on Tuesday evening, emphasizing the significance of utilizing this victory as a catalyst for sustained momentum throughout the remainder of the season. Kane showcased his prowess at the Allianz Arena, spearheading Bayern’s resurgence from a 1-0 first-leg deficit by netting goals in both halves, with Thomas Muller also contributing a goal. This collective effort propelled the German powerhouse into the quarter-finals of the prestigious tournament.
“It was a perfect night for us,” Kane, 30, told Amazon Prime. “Everyone with energy, all around the pitch, the way we played and created chances and pressed without the ball – it was a top, top performance.”
The Champions League emerges as Bayern Munich’s primary avenue for securing silverware this season, juxtaposed against a domestically underwhelming performance by the club’s accustomed standards. Occupying the second position in the Bundesliga standings, Bayern finds themselves trailing league leaders Bayer Leverkusen by a considerable margin of 10 points with merely 10 matches remaining, further compounded by their elimination from the German Cup at the hands of third-tier outfit Saarbrucken.
Moreover, the recent triumph over Lazio not only advances Bayern in the competition but also affords departing manager Thomas Tuchel a temporary respite from imminent dismissal. While it has been officially declared that Tuchel will depart from his managerial role at the culmination of the season, speculations had circulated regarding his potential premature termination should Bayern fail to surpass Lazio in the Champions League encounter.
“It’s the most difficult trophy to win in Europe, probably the world,” Tuchel, who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, told reporters. “But it doesn’t get any easier or more difficult if you have a long contract or if you’re leaving at the end of the season.”
Kane recognised the manner of Tuchel’s imminent exit was “unusual” but said, “nights like this can change the season … we just have to keep this momentum up.”
Speaking to reporters after the victory while holding the man-of-the-match trophy, Kane said he hoped it was “a turning point for the rest of the year”.
“If we perform like that in most games we’re going to come out with a victory. It was a pleasing day,” said the England captain, who has scored 33 goals for Bayern in his debut season. “It’s been a good season so far in terms of the goals but as a team we know we can do better.
“I’m trying to help that situation, the team are trying to help that situation, and I hope we can use this as a turning point to push on in the Bundesliga and see if we can put pressure on Leverkusen – and see who we can get in the next round of the Champions League.”
Bayern Munich, the six-time European champions, confronted the possibility of being eliminated in the last-16 stage for only the second time in the last 13 seasons in Tuesday’s match. This predicament was a result of a series of three consecutive defeats, including a 1-0 loss in the first leg in Rome, marking Bayern’s poorest performance since 2015 and leading to the dismissal of manager Tuchel, who had been in charge for less than a year.
In the match against Lazio, Bayern exerted early pressure with the return of Leroy Sane and Jamal Musiala, both threatening the opposition goal. Despite this, Lazio’s Ciro Immobile squandered a significant opportunity to extend his team’s lead following an error from Matthijs de Ligt, narrowly missing a header wide of the target in the 36th minute.
This missed opportunity proved costly for Lazio, as Harry Kane subsequently equalized for Bayern shortly after, nodding in a deflected shot from Raphael Guerreiro to level the tie. Thomas Muller, who has seen increased playing time following the announcement of Tuchel’s departure, furthered Bayern’s advantage just before halftime, capitalizing on a De Ligt shot with his trademark poacher’s instinct.
Kane ensured Bayern’s progression in the European competition by converting from close range after Sane forced a save from Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel. This goal marked Kane’s 33rd of the season in as many appearances.
Furthermore, Bayern achieved their first clean sheet in eight games, with captain Manuel Neuer equalling the Champions League record of 57 clean sheets, previously held by Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas.