Goal record? Kane optimistic
©IMAGO
Eleven points ahead with ten games left: FC Bayern Munich can probably plan on winning the championship after the 3-2 away win in the top Bundesliga game against Borussia Dortmund. After the fifth win in a row, coach Vincent Kompany praised the comeback qualities of his star ensemble, while top scorer Harry Kane expressed optimism about the hunt for the Bundesliga goal record.
“Yes, I’m definitely in a good moment right now. There are phases in a season when things just come to you and go your way – and that’s exactly the phase I’m in right now,” confirmed Kane after the classic when asked about his top form. The Englishman has 30 goals after 24 matchdays, and in the last five games alone he scored nine times for the record champions. Kane shatters the Bundesliga record of 41 goals in a season. This was set up by Robert Lewandowski in 2021.
“It’s definitely looking good right now,” said Kane on “Sky” after the game in Dortmund when asked about the record. “Of course I’ll try to keep going right there and generally do what I always do. And I also know that the questions about the record will almost certainly come after every game now… But there are still a lot of games to go. I’m just trying to stay consistent and then we’ll see if it’s possible in the end.” Lewandowski has already scored 31 goals after 24 matchdays, one more than the 32-year-old, who wants to score again on Friday in front of his home crowd against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
While Kane still wasn’t confident about his second German championship after the victory in Dortmund (“I don’t think it’s over”), Joshua Kimmich was more optimistic: “Yes, it’s up to us, you have to be honest. Now I think we’re eleven points ahead and we won’t let that go.” The 31-year-old national player said about his decisive goal in the “classic”: “I didn’t have many options left at that moment, I just concentrated on catching the ball properly and luckily it went in behind. Yes, I generally don’t score that many goals now, so I’m happy to take every goal with me. To make it 3-2 so late in Dortmund is of course something very special.”
There was particularly a lot of praise from record champion coach Kompany after the successful performance in the Westfalenstadion. “Character. Absolutely top value,” enthused the Belgian when asked about Munich’s comeback qualities with 18 points still to be gained after falling behind. “Of course I also play a role, I’m the coach. But I know that the players are the most important thing. I can say one thing: That’s been part of my mentality since I grew up. In moments like this, it doesn’t really matter to me whether we’re behind or losing. I just want to keep trying to push. And if we lose, we can’t stay negative for too long, we have to immediately try to make the best of it again. Today it’s a nice moment because the team always believes. And for me it’s like this: If If you have the confidence that you can score goals, then these moments will keep coming.”
Because of trouble with the police: Silent Bayern fans in Dortmund
At the Bundesliga classic on Saturday evening, despite the victory, there was silence in the FC Bayern guest fan block. According to the broadcasting TV station “Sky”, the reason for this was a confrontation between the police and parts of the football record champions’ organized fan scene shortly before kick-off. In protest and in solidarity with the affected supporters, the fans decided to hold back on chanting and cheering. During the course of the game, the Dortmund fans displayed a banner in the south stand that read “Freedom for visiting fans in Dortmund”.
According to Dortmund police, the argument was triggered by the fact that a group of around 30 Bayern fans tried to get into the stadium with irregular tickets. Contrary to some media reports, a spokesman was initially unable to confirm the use of pepper spray and batons when asked by “dpa”. There was only a so-called personal identification. Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund regretted the lack of support. “We noticed and then wanted to know what was going on. But I don’t have any details,” said Freund after his team’s 3-2 win. “It’s a shame that something like this happens in such a top game.”
