Harry Kane left the Emirates looking happy. “I think they have a soft respect for me, the Arsenal fans,” he grinned, a bit mischievous as he remembered the uproar that had accompanied his every step since returning to enemy territory.
When he lined up for the penalty, the jeers were louder than ever, but he calmly passed David Raya to give Bayern Munich the win.
Bayern thought they had almost left with it, even though Leandro Trossard’s equalizer set up a monumental rematch in Munich next Wednesday.
Bayern, a soft touch domestically, showed resilience that has abandoned their Bundesliga campaign, which may explain Kane’s demeanor.
It inspired him, suggesting the England captain’s long-held ambition of a Wembley final may come true.
He remarked, “This was a chance to show some togetherness and sometimes that’s defending as a team.” We worked, blocked, tackled, and caught them transitioning.
We need a team ethic to grind out games because we haven’t done it enough this year.”
Bayern, who just survived the Alamo, showed the smarts to quell Arsenal’s threat after Bukayo Saka’s opener.
They kept playing, punished mistakes with old-fashioned ferocity, and thought they may have pulled ahead before Trossard delivered a fair result.
Kane wanted to use a different history lesson from his Tottenham days, but champions still have DNA.
He mentioned the 2018-19 season, when Spurs fell to fourth place with seven losses in their final 12 Premier League games yet overcame European doubts.
Their performances, culminating in that absurd Ajax semi-final, earned them their first Champions League final.
Tottenham persevered despite Kane’s frustration against the Dutch and in the quarter-final second leg against Manchester City due to injury.
“That campaign is similar because we weren’t having a great league season, honestly,” he remarked. But we discovered enthusiasm and unity in the Champions League and reached the final.
That event gives me hope we can rediscover it again. We can perform in huge games, like the crucial quarterfinal at home next week, and attempt to get back to the final.”
Bayern may approach this competition with a higher anticipation, but Champions League football may overcome local rivalries. Bayern will face selection issues when Arsenal visits:
After a stupid early foul on Saka, Alphonso Davies was suspended, and Serge Gnabry, who injured his thigh after halftime, will likely miss out.
Kane drew confidence from the fact that, with away fans prohibited, they avoided the brickbats on Tuesday despite leaving north London with a draw. Bayern will have to do it the hard way.
“It was strange to have no one there for us but I thought we dealt with it well,” he said.
“After not attending this game, I think our fans will be much more thrilled and louder next week. We hope to capitalize on that energy and apply pressure.”
Indeed, pressure will be bidirectional. Arsenal must defend, but Bayern must save their season and prove the empire is still standing.
Kane, who could barely be scoring more goals, will also know that every step or stumble in a Bayern shirt changes his mind about leaving last summer.
“Of course it’s not the season I wanted with the league’s gone and the cup knockout early in the season,” he added. “We have Champions League hopes, which would be amazing.
I strive hard for my squad and am confident in scoring. I did that this year and looked for ways to improve. I still have room for improvement.”
Did a one-night reunion with 60,000 old foes make him miss the league he left? He said, “No, I’m really enjoying my experience in Germany.”
“I’m glad I took the step because I needed a new challenge, new surroundings, new stadiums, and new teams in my career.
I know how huge the Premier League is since I played there for years, but my future is at Bayern Munich.
I have a four-year contract and am loving it; perhaps I can do something exceptional this season.”
Kane entered the squad bus knowing Bayern’s chances of overcoming the crisis were still alive.
