Bayern Munich’s striker Harry Kane’s long wait for a major team honour could finally come to an end this weekend, as the club stands on the brink of reclaiming the Bundesliga crown.
Should Bayern defeat sixth-placed Mainz at home on Saturday, and nearest challengers Bayer Leverkusen fail to beat Augsburg, the German title will be heading back to Munich — and into Kane’s hands for the first time.
The Bavarians currently hold an eight-point lead at the top with four matches to play, meaning their grip on the title is firm. For Kane, the prospect of lifting a major trophy would mark the end of a career-long drought despite his prolific individual success.
The England captain, 31, joined Bayern in 2023 after two decades at Tottenham Hotspur in pursuit of silverware. Having lost six finals—three with Spurs, two with England, and another with Bayern — a first-team title would be a welcome change in fortune.
Though Kane has rarely spoken publicly about his title ambitions, he revealed earlier this year that critics’ comments about his lack of honours have been a personal motivator.
“Throughout my career, many people have focused on the fact that I’ve never won a title. It would be nice to silence a few of them,” Kane said in February.
If successful, Kane would join an elite group of Englishmen — including Kevin Keegan and Owen Hargreaves — to have won the Bundesliga.
Bayern figurehead Uli Hoeness, who played a key role in the club’s €100 million move to sign Kane, believes the striker has fully earned the right to be crowned a champion.
“Nobody deserves the title more than him,” Hoeness told Sky Germany on Wednesday. “He’s a true Bayern player — he fights, he works hard, he scores an incredible number of goals, and he gives everything for the team. You can feel how much he wants this.”
Despite the disappointment of a Champions League exit to Inter Milan, winning the league would offer Kane and Bayern a sense of redemption following a trophyless 2023-24 campaign.
Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, Saturday’s clash between Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig could prove pivotal in the race for Champions League qualification.
Frankfurt, chasing a top-four finish for the first time in the modern era of the competition, sit three points ahead of Leipzig in fourth place.
A defeat for Leipzig could see them drop as low as sixth, with Borussia Dortmund also within reach following a strong run of form that’s seen them take 10 points from a possible 12.
Leipzig’s absence from Europe’s premier club tournament would be a major blow, especially with new Red Bull figurehead Jürgen Klopp overseeing his first off-season at the helm. Club veteran Yussuf Poulsen praised Klopp’s early influence.
“He’s already been to the club several times and made a real impression with his passion and experience,” Poulsen said. “His career shows exactly what he’s capable of.”
Poulsen, who joined the club when they were in Germany’s third tier in 2013, has seen Leipzig rise through the ranks to reach a Champions League semi-final and win two domestic cups. Now, he’s aiming for consistency at the top.
“We’ve developed so much, but the next step for this club is to win titles regularly,” he said.
Notable Stats
- 12 – Thomas Müller has already won 12 Bundesliga titles. One more, and he will match Ryan Giggs’ record of 13 league titles, the most in Europe’s top five leagues.
- 36 – St. Pauli may sit 14th, but they’ve only conceded 36 goals—bettered only by Bayern and Leverkusen.
Bundesliga Fixtures (All times GMT)
Friday:
Stuttgart v Heidenheim (18:30)
Saturday (13:30 unless stated):
Bayer Leverkusen v Augsburg
Holstein Kiel v Borussia Mönchengladbach
Hoffenheim v Borussia Dortmund
Bayern Munich v Mainz
Wolfsburg v Freiburg
Eintracht Frankfurt v RB Leipzig (16:30)
Sunday:
Bochum v Union Berlin
Werder Bremen v St. Pauli (15:30)
