Harry Kane has sent a strong message to Real Madrid after Bayern Munich defeated Arsenal to reach the UEFA Champions League semi-final.
The England captain described his side’s win over the Gunners as a tough game after a difficult start at the Allianz Arena stadium.
What happened?
Bayern Munich have booked their place in the 2023/2024 Champions League semi-final after the club beat Arsenal on Wednesday night, April 17.
A Joshua Kimmich header was enough to split the sides in the second leg after a 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg on Tuesday, April 9.
Recall that Former Tottenham Hotspur star Kane netted a penalty in the reverse fixture and played the full 90 minutes in the second leg at the Allianz Arena.
The 30-year-old striker was kept at bay by Arsenal defender William Saliba but was versatile in the midfield dishing out passes for his teammates to keep pressure on Arsenal.
Harry Kane registered two shots in the full 90 minutes of the game but failed to find the back of the net against his former London rivals.
After the game, the former Tottenham academy product took to his Instagram page to share a video where he was filmed expressing his enthusiasm for their win over Mikel Arteta’s side.
In the video posted on his social media page, Kane was seen donning a brown hoodie shirt with another excited teammate Leon Leon Goretzka.
Kane was heard sending a clear message to Real Madrid ahead of their next Champions League showdown against the Spanish powerhouse.
He said; “Semi-final, here we come, tough game today, difficult game, but we found a way, stuck together and that’s what we need going forward, so, yeah Real Madrid in the semi-final – gonna be another tough game but let’s bring it on”.
He added; “It’s going to be a big, big semi-final, two big teams but yeah just thank you all for your support again, the amazing atmosphere, we’re going to need more first-leg home, here in the Allianz – let’s enjoy this one, enjoy it at your home, go out and celebrate and than we look forward to the semi-final let’s keep it going.”
Harry Kane was initially asked by reporters how he felt about the game, and he replied; “It was an unbelievable win. It’s been a tough season for us”.
“We’ve had to fight and grind it out at times. We knew we could make a difference with our fans at home.”
“It was a tough game, a tight game. It was a great goal from Josh Kimmich. To reach the semi-finals is a great achievement for us and we can enjoy it.”
“I think in these types of games the first half is always a bit cagey. We said at half-time we wanted to up the tempo and be aggressive. We had a couple off the post and could have made it easier for ourselves but these games are always tough and you just have to get through them.”
He added; “The expectation here is to try and win the Champions League.”
Bayern keep their hopes of a trophy alive this season while Arsenal can only focus on winning the Premier League. They will feel disappointed with a tepid performance that did not reflect their season so far.
It was a particularly special night for Kane and Eric Dier, who had the pleasure of breaking the hearts of Arsenal, the arch-rival of the player’s former club Tottenham.
The Champions League represents Kane’s last chance of a trophy in his first season at Bayern Munich. Recall that Bayer Leverkusen won the Bundesliga to break Bayern’s 11-year dominance in the competition.
Bayern Munich were also knocked out of the DFB-Pokal by third-tier outfit Saarbrucken.
They will face behemoths Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Bayern Munich vs Arsenal in brief
Arsenal made a painfully disappointing exit from the Champions League as they were beaten by Bayern Munich in a delighted atmosphere at Allianz Aren
Joshua Kimmich’s powerful header in the 63rd minute from Raphael Guerreiro’s cross was enough to send the Germans through to the semi-finals 3-2 on aggregate after the two teams had drawn 2-2 in London in the first leg.
In a tight and intense second leg, watched by Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke, Gabriel Martinelli had the best chance of the first half for the Gunners but shot straight at Manuel Neuer after Jamal Musiala had forced David Raya into a full-stretch save at the other end.
While Harry Kane had just nine touches in the opening 45 minutes, Neuer was forced into another save by Martin Odegaard’s deflected attempt, which had the long-serving Bayern Munich keeper scrambling across his line.
With so much at stake for both teams, it was perhaps understandable chances were in limited supply but the second half was a livelier affair with Leon Goretzka heading against the post before Guerreiro’s follow-up was scrambled away by Raya, via the post.
But Kimmich’s attacking header proved decisive and ensured Arsenal’s wait to win the Champions League for the first time goes on.
What’s next for Bayern Munich?
The German powerhouse will be seen in action when they battle Union Berlin in the Bundesliga on Saturday, April 20.
