Kane Says Bayern Are Within Touching Distance of Champions League Glory

Harry Kane believes Bayern Munich are on the verge of conquering Europe, saying the German champions have closed the gap since their narrow semifinal exit last season.

Bayern’s European campaign ended in heartbreak last May, when they fell 6-5 on aggregate to Paris Saint-Germain in a remarkable two-legged semifinal. The first leg in Paris alone produced nine goals, with PSG edging it 5-4 before finishing the job in Munich. PSG went on to lift the trophy, making them back-to-back champions.

Despite the disappointment, Bayern completed a domestic double, adding the Bundesliga title to their trophy haul — though a treble, following the historic campaigns of 2013 and 2020, slipped away by the finest of margins. Missed chances in both semifinal legs and contentious refereeing calls were among the talking points from the tie.

Speaking to TNT Sports ahead of this season’s competition, Kane said the near-miss has fueled the squad’s ambition. “We’re really close,” the England captain said, acknowledging there was no shame in losing to a side that has now won the Champions League in consecutive years. He added that the message inside the dressing room is clear: “It needs to be our year. We need to find a way to get it done.”

A demanding league-phase schedule

Under the competition’s current format, Bayern open with two comparatively manageable fixtures against Norwegian opposition — Bodø/Glimt first, followed by Viking. The schedule then stiffens considerably, with matchups against Arsenal and Atlético Madrid, and later league-phase tests against Real Betis, Lille, and Manchester United, whose shares closed at $20.125 on Monday, down 1.44% from the previous session’s $20.42, valuing the club at roughly $3.47 billion.

The new format has shown that a slow start is not necessarily fatal. PSG’s last two title runs both required playoff-round passages — past Brest in 2025 and fellow French side Monaco last season — before the Parisians powered through the knockout rounds. broadcasters like Warner Bros. Discovery, which rose 0.77% to $28.155 in Monday trading, continue to carry the competition to global audiences.

Bayern enter the European opener looking to bounce back from a frustrating 0-0 Bundesliga draw away at Schalke, a result that will have sharpened focus before the visit of Bodø/Glimt.

What to watch

• Bayern’s league-phase results against Bodø/Glimt and Viking before the tougher fixtures against Arsenal and Atlético Madrid.
• Whether PSG can complete a three-peat, or if Bayern or another contender breaks through this season.
• Manchester United’s Champions League meetings with Bayern, with the club’s stock and commercial performance in view.

Source: original release