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BERLIN: Six-time Champions League winners Bayern Munich head into Wednesday’s second semi-final at Real Madrid ever more reliant on striker Harry Kane amid swirling off-field crises entirely of their own making.
Bayern still do not have a coach lined up for next season, with reports emerging on Monday that Julen Lopetegui became the latest to knock back the German giants, with the Spaniard chosing West Ham United instead.
Bayern drew 2-2 at home against Real in the first leg and need a win to progress to Wembley, the site of their famous victory over rivals Borussia Dortmund in 2013.
With Dortmund 1-0 up heading to their second semi-final at Paris Saint-Germain, a repeat of the all-German final is on the cards.
Even just appearing in a Champions League final, let alone winning a seventh crown, would change the narrative surrounding Bayern’s disappointing season.
Kane, famously still without a team trophy despite a decade collecting individual honours, left Tottenham Hotspur for the stability of serial winners Bayern last summer.
Bayern’s stumbles and Bayer Leverkusen’s incredible unbeaten season under Xabi Alonso ended the Bavarians’ 11-year Bundesliga title streak in April.
Bayern’s elimination in the German Cup at the hands of third-division Saarbruecken meant that the Champions League was their only chance of a trophy this season.
While that looked unlikely when Bayern lost 1-0 at Lazio in the last 16 first leg — with coach Thomas Tuchel agreeing to leave the club just days later — the German behemoths are just one win away from a 12th Champions League final.
But while the club and their hierarchy continue to suffer from self-inflicted wounds on and off the pitch, Kane is reliably carrying them to within touching distance of a Wembley return and a possible seventh crown.
A member-run club without wealthy majority ownership, Bayern are consistently held up as a model of success fuelled by stable, sensible decisions both on and off the pitch.
Their record with head coaches however leaves much to be desired. Since Pep Guardiola’s departure in 2016 after three years at the Allianz Arena, none of Bayern’s seven coaches have served at least two seasons.
Most recently the lack of consistent thinking has been jarring. Bayern sacked Julian Nagelsmann for the crime of being one point behind leaders Borussia Dortmund in March 2023.
In February 2024 Bayern agreed to part ways with Nagelsmann’s replacement Thomas Tuchel at season’s end.
After failing to get Alonso, Bayern were reportedly rebuffed in their attempts to bring back Nagelsmann, now Germany coach, along with Austria manager Ralf Rangnick.
Amid the ongoing crises of their own making, Kane — who arrived as Bayern’s record purchase in August for a fee of 100 million euros ($107 million) — keeps scoring to bail the club out.
He now has 44 goals in 44 games in all competitions, officially his best return in a season. Kane’s effectiveness and efficiency in front of goal has turned what could have been a disastrous season into one which could end in glory for Bayern.
Their preparations, though, were far from ideal with a 3-1 Bundesliga loss at VfB Stuttgart and injury to Raphael Guerreiro, who had made a good impact after coming on at half time in the first leg against Real. Bayern confirmed on Sunday he will miss Wednesday’s match.
Real, meanwhile, will face Bayern as the newly crowned Spanish champions after clinching the title on Saturday.
With the La Liga title all but assured, Carlo Ancelotti rotated his lineup in their 3-0 win over Cadiz on Saturday.
The club is delaying the traditional celebration of its 36th league title with players and fans in downtown Madrid until Saturday to keep its focus on the Bayern game.
And Ancelotti said he was confident his side could overcome Bayern to reach the final.
“I am confident because this is Real Madrid, we have this squad, I’m confident in the fans who will help us,” Ancelotti told a news conference on Tuesday. “We think we’ve got it better, but Tuchel will think he does too.”
Ancelotti admitted Bayern were the superior side in the first leg draw at the Allianz Arena and has warned his players that they cannot afford another sub0par performance if they want to contest the final.
“We need a match with intensity, with pace… Looking at the first leg, defensively we could have done a lot more,” Ancelotti stated.
“[Bayern and Real] are similar clubs because they have a great history and a lot of success. We have to respect our opponents because they did very well and better than us in the first leg.
“We are very excited because it could be another magical night for us, but there is no optimism. We are aware of the difficulties that we are going to face.”