THE KANE ERA: HARRY KANE HITS 28 LEAGUE GOALS AFTER THIRD CONSECUTIVE BUNDESLIGA BRACE
Harry Kane can't stop scoring! Discover how his brace beat Frankfurt and the latest on Alphonso Davies' devastating injury blow.
Harry Kane just can’t stop scoring. He bagged another two goals, his third Bundesliga brace in a row, helping Bayern Munich squeeze past Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2 on Saturday. With this win, Bayern now sit nine points clear at the top, looking down at Borussia Dortmund. Of course, Dortmund have been on fire lately, winning six in a row, and they still had their game against RB Leipzig later that evening.
Aleksandar Pavlovic got things rolling for Bayern with a low drive to open the scoring. Kane then struck on both sides of halftime, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing. He gave away a penalty late on, which Jonathan Burkardt tucked away for Frankfurt with just 13 minutes left. Bayern’s captain, Joshua Kimmich, also had a rough moment; his poor pass handed Arnaud Kalimuendo a goal to pull Frankfurt even closer. Still, Bayern managed to hold their nerve and saw it out.
Jamal Musiala, finally back in the starting lineup after a long spell out, summed it up pretty well: “I was satisfied until the 75th minute,” he said. “We need to learn from that. We can’t have moments like that. Luckily we have the three points, but we need to stay 100 per cent focused and energised, no matter who we’re playing.”
Kane’s numbers this season are just ridiculous: 28 goals in 23 Bundesliga games, 43 in all competitions. He’s scored more than one goal in a match 13 times this season. The only major downside for Bayern? Alphonso Davies went off injured in the second half, clutching his ankle after a tackle. He looked pretty devastated as he left the pitch, not what Bayern wanted, especially after he just come back from a long ACL layoff.
Bayern started strong, with Pavlovic pouncing on a loose ball after a failed clearance and firing a shot that slipped through Frankfurt keeper Kaua Santos’s hands. Four minutes later, Kane doubled the lead, nodding in a corner from close range. He added his second midway through the second half, sliding the ball just inside the post with his left foot.
Burkardt’s penalty looked like nothing more than a consolation, but then Kimmich’s mistake set up Kalimuendo to make it 3-2 with just four minutes left. Bayern held on, though, keeping Frankfurt from finding a late equaliser.
Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen came crashing back to earth after their Champions League heroics. They lost 1-0 at Union Berlin, with Rani Khedira smashing in the winner after bullying Robert Andrich off the ball in the 28th minute. That loss leaves Leverkusen in sixth place, three points off the Champions League spots.
Hoffenheim, sitting third, had to settle for a 2-2 draw at Cologne, just their second time dropping points in eight matches. Cologne went ahead first with a stunning bicycle kick from Ragnar Ache, but Hoffenheim bounced back, with Ozan Kabak and Andrej Kramaric scoring on either side of halftime. Then teenage winger Said El Mala pulled Cologne level with a brilliant solo effort, and the home side dug in to earn a hard-fought point.
Augsburg had to come from behind twice at Wolfsburg, but they pulled off a dramatic 3-2 win when Elvis Rexhbecaj scored deep into stoppage time. That victory gives them a comfortable cushion nine points clear of the relegation play-off zone.
LUIS DIAZ DECLARES BAYERN MOVE "RIGHT DECISION" AFTER SLAYING REAL MADRID
Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher react as Luis Diaz haunts Madrid. Is the €75m star the world's best winger?
Luis Diaz says he has no regrets about leaving Liverpool and feels he made the right call by signing with Bayern Munich last summer.
He landed in Bavaria for €75 million (about $87 million/£66 million), and honestly, he hit the ground running, scoring 23 goals and 18 assists already. He’s even chasing some European silverware after scoring the opener in Bayern’s Champions League quarterfinal first-leg win over Real Madrid on Tuesday.
The Bundesliga title looks just about wrapped up, too; Bayern’s nine points clear at the top, so Diaz will probably add a winners’ medal to his collection.
Everyone’s talking about Vincent Kompany’s team as one of Europe’s best, and with Liverpool struggling this season, it’s easy to see why Diaz feels moving to Germany was the right move.
“Coming to Bayern was absolutely the right decision for me. I’m really happy, and I enjoy every game,” Diaz told ESPN after Bayern’s 2-1 win at the Bernabeu. “I feel strong, and that’s helped me stay available to help the team.”
Diaz’s red-hot form even got Steven Gerrard talking about wanting him back at Anfield, and Jamie Carragher agrees Liverpool misses him.
He might actually play at Anfield again later this month, if both Bayern and Liverpool get through their Champions League quarterfinals. If Real and PSG go out, Bayern and Liverpool face off in the semis.
When asked about Bayern’s showing in Madrid, Diaz said, “We’re happy, but we feel like we could’ve scored another goal or two. We played a great match against a really tough opponent.
“We won the ball, moved it quickly, and executed our game plan. We’d already studied Real Madrid, and everything worked the way we expected.
“We felt comfortable, recovered the ball more, and controlled the match better. That’s exactly how we like to play.”
Diaz and Harry Kane both scored for Bayern, while Kylian Mbappe grabbed a late goal for Real to keep things interesting heading into the second leg.
Back at Liverpool, Diaz scored 41 goals in 148 games and picked up a Premier League title, the FA Cup, and two Carabao Cups. He made 36 appearances in the Reds’ 2024/25 title-winning season, and a lot of people feel Liverpool’s struggles this year are down to losing him.
WHY BAYERN MUNICH AND RAPHAEL GUERREIRO ARE PARTING WAYS THIS SUMMER
Bayern Munich and Raphael Guerreiro agree to part ways this June, ending a versatile three-year stint at Allianz Arena.
Bayern Munich announced on Monday that it and Raphael Guerreiro have agreed not to extend his contract. The 32-year-old will leave the Allianz Arena this coming June, ending a three-year stint that began with a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2023.
The decision to part ways seems to be mutual, with both club and player aiming to finish the current season strong. During his time in Munich, the Portuguese international has been a dependable figure, contributing to Bayern’s Bundesliga title and the DFL-Supercup win. Now, attention turns to securing more silverware before Guerreiro’s departure.
Max Eberl, Bayern’s sporting director, praised Guerreiro’s role beyond the field, highlighting the defender’s professionalism and influence in the locker room, especially during times of change for the club. Eberl remarked, “We want to thank Rapha for the time we shared: he could always be counted on on the pitch, and people with his character enrich any dressing room. The conversations with him were good, based on trust and understanding. Now we are focusing together on our goals until the summer; together we want to achieve much more.”
Throughout his time at Bayern, Guerreiro has been valued for his versatility. Described as a ‘Swiss Army knife’ by the coaching staff, he has made 89 appearances, scored 12 goals, and provided eight assists. His flexibility has allowed him to perform as a traditional left-back, wing-back, and even in midfield. This season alone, he has featured in 23 matches across all competitions, starting nine times and scoring four goals.
On the international stage, Guerreiro remains an experienced and decorated professional. With 65 caps and four goals for Portugal, he played a significant part in their Euro 2016 victory and the first UEFA Nations League triumph in 2019. He also represented Portugal in the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, underscoring his enduring presence at the highest level of the game.
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