By Harry Kane made history as Bayern Munich confirmed their place in the Champions League quarter-finals with victory against Bayer Leverkusen.
The striker scored his 10th goal in Europe this season with a close-range finish in the 52nd minute. This is more than any other English player has scored in a single campaign in the competition’s history.
Bayern came into the second-leg tie with a 3-0 lead. They delivered a commanding performance at home last week. Once again, they proved to be the better side in Leverkusen.
Vincent Kompany’s men posed the greater threat in the first half. Michael Olise fired narrowly wide. Kingsley Coman also fired narrowly wide.
Leverkusen needed to come out and attack after the break. Bayern put the tie beyond doubt. Patrik Schick attempted to clear a Joshua Kimmich free-kick. The ball fell straight at the feet of Kane, who bundled home from a few yards out.
Their star man Florian Wirtz was ruled out with an ankle ligament injury. As a result, the hosts lacked invention. They also had little impact in the attacking third.
Xabi Alonso’s side had a clear goal. They wanted to be only the fifth team in Champions League history to overturn a three-goal first-leg deficit. It took them 65 minutes to register a shot on target.
Jeremie Frimpong forced Bayern goalkeeper Jonas Urbig into a smart low stop, before Schick headed straight at the visiting stopper moments later
Leverkusen’s desperation left more space for Bayern to exploit. Alphonso Davies took full advantage. He converted Kane’s cross from close range in the 71st minute.
The England captain then spurned a good chance to add a third. He placed wide under little pressure. Then he rattled the crossbar with a snap-shot on the turn. Jamal Musiala struck the post from a tight angle. This happened with 10 minutes left. He was sent away by Serge Gnabry’s pass.
Bayern will face Inter Milan in the quarter-finals after the Serie A champions defeated Feyenoord. The first leg will take place on 7/8 April with the second leg a week later.
Bayern now contenders after bad start
Despite not always convincing this season, Bayern now have to be considered among the favourites to win the Champions League.
Kompany took charge last summer. The team he led had failed to win silverware for the first time in a decade. After two defeats in their first three European games, things looked a little bleak.
Bayern faced losses to Aston Villa and Barcelona. This was followed by a 3-0 upset at Feyenoord. Bayern then scraped past Celtic in the play-off round last month.
Kompany’s men are eight points clear at the top of the Bundesliga. They eliminated defending German champions Leverkusen without really having to break sweat. They sealed a 35th appearance in the quarter-final of Europe’s elite club contest. This is four shy of Real Madrid’s record mark.
Questions remain about their defence. This is particularly true now that veteran keeper Manuel Neuer is out for the foreseeable future with a calf injury. However, few teams can match their firepower at the other end of the pitch.
Kane has followed up a record-breaking debut season in Bavaria. He has scored 32 goals in 36 games in all competitions. The 31-year-old is in the running to top the Champions League scoring charts for a second successive campaign.
Musiala was excellent playing just behind the Englishman. Olise and Coman impressed on the wings. Leon Goretzka’s revival continued in central midfield.
“To beat this team 5-0 [on aggregate] shows the type of team we are. It demonstrates the path we are on,” said Kane.
It’s never easy to start with a 3-0 lead. However, the intensity we showed gave us better chances. We knew the game would open up in the second half, and we took our chances.
“We try not to listen to the noise too much, we know what we’re capable of. This will only give us confidence performing against a top side.”
Bayern needs to get past Inter first. With Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund or Lille waiting in the semi-finals, the Munich outfit feels they have a great chance. They aim to reach the final of the competition for the first time since 2020. It will be a showpiece held at their own Allianz Arena.
