Bayern Munich’s hopes of a triumphant Champions League clash against Aston Villa were tempered by a late injury to star striker Harry Kane during their 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. The England captain, who failed to register a single shot on goal against Leverkusen, collided with a defender in the closing stages of the match at the Allianz Arena. He was visibly in pain and limped off the pitch, sparking concerns about his fitness for the crucial match against Villa.
Kane’s absence would be a significant blow to Bayern, who are currently topping the Champions League table after a dominant 9-2 victory over Dinamo Zagreb in their opening game. The prolific striker has been in stellar form, bagging four goals against Zagreb and leading the Bundesliga scoring charts. He currently boasts an impressive tally of 10 goals in all competitions this season.
While manager Vincent Kompany expressed hope that the injury is not serious, saying, “I’m not a doctor, but I hope it’s nothing serious. It’s still early to say. Hopefully, he’ll be fit for Wednesday,” Bayern sporting director Max Eberl wasn’t as optimistic. He described the injury as “not looking good,” adding, “If Harry goes off the pitch, then it’s something. Now I hope he’s made of sturdy English wood.”
Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen offered a slightly more hopeful perspective, stating, “He took a knock, but as the doctors have said, it’s probably nothing serious. We’ll have to look at it again tomorrow.”
Despite the late injury, Bayern’s performance against Leverkusen was encouraging. The team controlled the match, dominated possession, and created numerous chances. “As a Bayern coach, you always want to win. But the performance was as we’d hoped. The counter-pressing was positive, we won the second balls, we created so many chances,” said Kompany. “Normally in such a game, you don’t create many chances, but we did. It was a top game, but there are still many games to go. We just have to keep going.”
The result against Leverkusen ended Bayern’s perfect start to the season, but the team is still in a strong position in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League. However, the injury to Harry Kane casts a shadow over their upcoming matches. The next few days will be crucial as Bayern await updates on Kane’s recovery and prepare for their vital Champions League clash with Aston Villa.
