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.
MATTHAUS WARNS KOMPANY: DO NOT CHANGE ATTACKING STYLE DESPITE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE EXIT
Bayern have secured the Bundesliga! Read why Matthaus wants more "spectacular football" despite the 6-5 aggregate loss to PSG.
Lothar Matthaus has called on Vincent Kompany to continue with his attacking style, despite Bayern Munich's exit from the Champions League at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain. The German legend feels Bayern’s entertaining approach shouldn’t be altered even though their defence showed vulnerabilities during the 6-5 aggregate loss in the semi-finals.
After conceding six goals over two legs, Bayern’s Champions League run came to an end. While the defeat exposed defensive issues, it also highlighted the offensive strategy Kompany has brought to the team. These defensive struggles aren’t limited to Europe either; high-scoring Bundesliga matches, like the 4-3 win over Mainz and the 3-3 draw with Heidenheim, have revealed a back line that’s still trying to find the right balance between taking risks and maintaining solidity.
Matthaus, who once captained Bayern, stresses that the club should stick with Kompany’s attacking mindset, even if it leaves them open at the back. He pointed out, “With such an attacking style of play, you can't defend everything, of course. Yes, they've conceded quite a few goals, but they’re still having a successful season and are close to winning the double. They’ve even made it to the Champions League semi-finals.”
The return of excitement at the Allianz Arena was clear, especially during the second leg when Ousmane Dembele’s early goal stunned the crowd. Although Harry Kane’s late equaliser wasn’t enough to turn the tie around, Matthaus sees positives in the bigger picture. He believes Bayern has brought back the thrill and flair fans expect.
“While Bayern didn’t play their best in the semi-final second leg against PSG, they have entertained throughout the year. I look forward to their matches because they’re usually packed with goals. Bayern stands for spectacular football, and this season has been no different. I wouldn’t move away from that style,” Matthaus shared.
With the focus shifting back to domestic competitions, Bayern have already secured the Bundesliga championship. They still have two league games left against Wolfsburg and Koln before preparing for the DFB-Pokal final against Stuttgart on May 23.
BAYERN MUNICH RULE OUT MARCUS RASHFORD MOVE REGARDLESS OF ANTHONY GORDON OUTCOME
Marcus Rashford is not a target for Bayern Munich this summer, as the club focuses entirely on signing Gordon from Newcastle.
Bayern Munich aren’t considering a move for Marcus Rashford this summer, no matter what happens with Anthony Gordon. That’s according to a German reporter who’s close to the story.
Right now, Rashford is wrapping up his loan at Barcelona. He’s set to return to Manchester United at the end of the season. Barcelona have an option to make the deal permanent for €30 million (£26 million) in the summer. Both Rashford and Barcelona want him to stay, but here’s the catch: the club doesn’t want to pay the full €30 million.
Barcelona would rather keep Rashford on loan for another year or get him for a lower fee. Manchester United’s not having it. They want the full price, so Barcelona are starting to look at other players.
Rashford hasn’t made a secret of where he wants to be. Earlier in the season, he told Sport, one of the local Barcelona papers, about how much he wants to stay, saying, “Of course, what I want is to stay at Barca. It’s the ultimate goal.” He talked about the pressure and expectations at the club, saying they keep him motivated and that he feels like he’s in the perfect environment to grow and win trophies. For now, though, it’s all up in the air until next summer.
Last year, Bayern Munich actually showed some interest in Rashford before he went to Barcelona. But now, they’re focused on signing Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United for the left wing. The problem is, Gordon’s interested, but Newcastle’s price is ridiculous, reportedly around £80 million (€92.6 million). That’s much higher than what Bayern’s willing to pay. They’re thinking closer to £60 million (€69.4 million), and maybe with add-ons or an instalment plan. If Newcastle won’t budge, it probably isn’t happening.
Christian Falk, a trusted journalist from Bild, says Bayern aren’t considering Rashford as a backup if they can’t land Gordon. Bayern’s got a short list of players for the left wing, and Rashford isn’t on it. Gordon’s their main focus, but even if that deal falls through, Rashford’s not the next in line.
So at this stage, Bayern and Rashford won’t be coming together this summer, even if Gordon stays at Newcastle. That’s just not in the plans.
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