Pressure on as Bayern, Kane set out for only title that truly matters
Harry Kane's Bayern Munich host Manchester United on Wednesday, kick-starting their campaign in the competition which matters most to them this season.
Despite domestic dominance which has seen Bayern win the past 11 Bundesliga titles, the club judges itself on its performances in the Champions League. Since winning in Lisbon in 2020, Bayern have been eliminated at the quarter-final stage of the Champions League for three straight years.
These early eliminations led to the exits of former managers Hansi Flick and Julian Nagelsmann. Current Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel, who took over from a sacked Nagelsmann who had won eight from eight in the Champions League, is aware that making it at least to the semis is considered par for the course in Munich.
While this understanding is not new for Bayern or indeed any of the handful of modern superclubs where domestic success is assured, the big money addition of Kane makes winning now a necessity.