Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has stated that facing English opposition “makes me want to play better,” adding a personal touch to Wednesday’s highly anticipated UEFA Champions League opener against Chelsea.
Speaking to reporters in Munich, the 32-year-old former Tottenham Hotspur captain said his long-standing rivalry with Chelsea would bring “a little more spice to the showdown.” Kane, who faced the London club 22 times with Tottenham, winning seven and scoring eight goals, has a history of stepping up in big games.
“The rivalry was a good rivalry,” Kane said. “Especially early in my Tottenham career in the [Mauricio] Pochettino era. We had a lot of good games, tough games against each other.”
Since his move to Bayern in 2023, Kane has had a phenomenal record, scoring 93 goals in 101 games across all competitions. This included a record-breaking 41 goals last season alone. While his move to Germany delivered a maiden team trophy with the Bundesliga title, Kane admits he finds extra motivation when facing teams from his home country.
“I think playing against Premier League opposition, there’s always a little more expectation around the game. Maybe the Chelsea fans don’t like me as much and when we play Arsenal, maybe the Arsenal fans don’t like me as much,” he said. “That makes me want to play better, that motivates me. There will be some familiar faces – all those things added together bring a little something special.”
Despite recent comments from club powerbroker Uli Hoeness suggesting Bayern were underdogs in Europe this year, Kane was quick to reject the idea. “When you’re at a club like Bayern Munich, there’s an expectation to win the best competitions—and the Champions League especially,” Kane stated. “Ultimately, if we don’t win it, there’s always going to be a bit of disappointment, so I wouldn’t say we’re underdogs.”
