Harry Kane played through significant pain in Bayern Munich’s Champions League quarterfinal victory over Real Madrid, as revealed by head coach Vincent Kompany.
The 32-year-old England captain made his return to the lineup at the Bernabéu following an ankle injury and managed to score in the first leg, leading Kompany’s team to a 2-1 win.
This goal brought Kane within one of reaching 50 for Bayern, further adding to what has already been an impressive season.
In advance of their Bundesliga match against St. Pauli this Saturday, Kompany commented, “Harry Kane was fine after the [Real Madrid] game. He played a bit beyond the pain threshold, but there was no backlash the next day, which is what’s most important.”
Bayern’s victory in Spain positions them as favorites to advance to the semifinals against either Paris Saint-Germain or Liverpool.
However, ahead of the second leg against Real at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday, Kompany indicated he may rotate his squad for the match against St. Pauli.
He added, “We need to consider what we’ve accomplished this season. We’re only at this point on April 10 because the entire team has contributed. Making one or two changes is part of our approach throughout the season.
“If you had asked about the strategy back in November or October, it might have seemed questionable. But at this stage, we can’t re-evaluate that. The competition within our squad is intense. I know how beneficial that is from my playing days. We’re raising our standards, and I’ll be considering who plays tonight.”
Bayern currently has a nine-point lead over second-place Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga as they inch closer to their 34th league title.
St. Pauli, positioned 16th of 18 in the standings, has not won any of their last four matches.
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Earlier in the season, Bayern had to score twice in stoppage time to secure a comeback win against St. Pauli.
Kompany remarked, “We hold St. Pauli in high regard. If you analyze their recent performances, they have been incredibly tough matches. Their defensive organization is commendable. It’s puzzling why they sit low in the rankings. The competition just above them is not vastly different. However, securing three points is crucial for us.”
“Our aim is to deliver our best performance consistently. Reaching our peak is challenging, especially considering we’ve achieved 16 consecutive victories this season. That’s our standard, and we want to match that as we approach the season’s end.”
Lennart Karl Out for Real Madrid Match
Young talent Lennart Karl has been ruled out of the second leg against Madrid due to a right hamstring injury.
Bayern announced on Friday that the 18-year-old forward, who has been enjoying a standout season, suffered a muscle tear in his right thigh and will be sidelined for the immediate future.
The club has not provided further details regarding his condition.
Karl will also miss the Bundesliga match against St. Pauli and the Champions League quarterfinal return leg on Wednesday.
His availability for upcoming Bundesliga matches against Stuttgart on April 19 and a German Cup semifinal against Bayer Leverkusen three days later remains uncertain, with Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann monitoring his recovery ahead of the World Cup, following his debut for the national team last month.
This season, Karl has netted five goals and provided five assists in the Bundesliga, along with four goals and two assists in the Champions League.
Information from PA and the Associated Press contributed to this report.