Struggling Bayern Munich Find Victory as Harry Kane’s Performance Disappoints
Bayern Munich’s recent struggles continued as they fell to a defeat against Lazio in the Champions League last-16 first leg. Harry Kane, who had a golden opportunity early on in the match, was left frustrated for the rest of the game as Bayern failed to make an impact. This disappointing performance from the German giants is becoming a worrying trend, one that is affecting the entire team.
Bayern Munich, who have won the Bundesliga for the past 11 seasons, are now in danger of ending this campaign without a trophy. They are trailing Lazio going into the second leg and have also been knocked out of the German Cup by third division Saarbrucken. Kane himself missed out on a trophy in his first game with Bayern when they were defeated 3-0 by RB Leipzig in the German Super Cup. Additionally, Bayern’s position in the Bundesliga title race is precarious after a 3-0 loss to leaders Bayer Leverkusen, leaving them five points off the pace.
Kane’s recent performances have also been underwhelming. While he started the season brightly with 22 goals in his first 16 matches, he has only managed six goals in his last 12 games. This drop-off in form has exposed the flaws in Bayern’s attack. Without Kane firing on all cylinders, Bayern has struggled to score goals and has failed to find the back of the net in two consecutive games for the first time since 2015.
The pressure is mounting not only on Kane but also on Bayern’s manager, Thomas Tuchel. Ending the season without a major trophy would surely be fatal to Tuchel’s job prospects. The loss to Lazio is his 10th defeat in 43 competitive matches as Bayern coach, equaling the number of losses his predecessor Julian Nagelsmann suffered in 84 games in charge.
The statistics do not bode well for Bayern. They have been eliminated on the past seven occasions they have lost a Champions League first leg, a streak that goes back to 2015. Tuchel’s side looked uninspired and lacked creativity against Lazio, often resorting to pumping balls towards Kane or relying on his set-piece prowess.
Rio Ferdinand criticized Bayern’s style of play, describing it as “ugly football.” He expressed doubts about Bayern’s ability to turn things around in the second leg against Lazio, citing their lack of confidence and a rut they seem unable to escape from.
However, there is still hope for Bayern. The team, featuring many of the players who won Bayern’s last Champions League in 2020, is aware that they must improve and has confidence in their ability to do so. Thomas Muller expressed optimism, stating that they have it in them to perform better and that things could look different in three weeks’ time.
Although three weeks is a long time in football, Kane will need to find his goal-scoring form quickly. With a challenging league match against RB Leipzig coming up, things could potentially get worse for both Kane and Bayern Munich.