Follow live reaction as Spurs were routed by Bayern in a pre-season friendly
Reaction: Bayern Munich 4-0 Tottenham
Bayern Munich thrashed a woeful Tottenham 4-0 in an entertaining pre-season friendly at Allianz Arena today.
Harry Kane scored and missed a penalty before Kingsley Coman, Lennart Karl, and Jonah Kusi-Asare added to the lead in the second half.
It was the final friendly for Spurs before the UEFA Super Cup vs PSG and their penultimate match before the 2025-26 Premier League season.
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Joao Palhinha doesn’t cure all of Tottenham’s problems, but he solves a pretty big one
Spurs' pre-season results
As they reach the end of pre-season friendlies, let’s remind ourselves of how Tottenham got on this summer:
Reading 0-2 Spurs
Spurs 2-2 Wycombe
Luton 0-0 Spurs
Arsenal 0-1 Spurs
Spurs 1-1 Newcastle
Bayern Munich 4-0 Spurs
Can Bayern challenge in the Champions League?
Domestic form is never something to take for granted and after being knocked off their perch two seasons ago by Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern bounced back in Vincent Kompany’s first season.
Even so, European success is so often the benchmark for managers being considered a success at the club and Bayern were unable to taste success in the Champions League last season.
They even fell into the play-off round at the end of the league phase to book their place in the knock-outs. Progress in continental competition will be on their minds this year.
How big of a loss is Madison?
Judging on a relatively blunt performance in attack from Spurs this evening, it is a big loss.
Spurs confirmed that James Maddison will be out for most of the season after he ruptured his ACL in his right knee in a pre-season friendly against Newcastle United.
The No. 10 is a key creative outlet for Spurs — they might well be feeling the pressure to sign a replacement unless they are confident in Lucas Bergvall’s abilities.
And up next for Spurs?
Things get a little trickier, with their UEFA Super Cup match against Paris Saint Germain on Wednesday.
That is all before their Premier League season opener against Burnley on Saturday August 16.
Up next for Bayern...
...is another friendly, their last of pre-season, against Swiss side Grasshoppers on Tuesday.
They then head straight into the thick of the action with a DFL Supercup match against Stuttgart on Saturday August 16.
Harry Kane: ‘Great opportunity’ for exciting youngsters
Speaking to FC Bayern TV Plus after the match, Harry Kane hailed his side's young players.
He said: “We talk about needing the squad through the whole year.
“They were great finishes from Lenny (Lennart Karl) and Kusi (Jonah Kusi-Asare) and all the boys that played have been training really well.
“It's a great opportunity for them and everyone who stepped onto the pitch did a really good job.”
Let's hear from Vincent Kompany
Here’s the Bayern boss’s thoughts when speaking to FC Bayern TV after that impressive win:
“It is still one of our first few games, the lads did well but we have to stay calm. I'm a bit surprised with the lads giving this level of performance so early.
“I didn't expect it but the mental preparation is just as important. The second half was very impressive from our perspective, we got two goals from two young players on the pitch.
“The lads showed a willingness to run and not everything was perfect but they showed willingness. They are not going to win every challenge or be successful in every moment but if they can keep level heads, they will do well.”
Four quality goals from Bayern
You would struggle to pick the best of the four Bayern goals, such was the quality of them.
And the positive for Kompany is that two of them came from youngsters, who are looking for their breakthrough with the senior team this season.
After a trimming of the squad, there is every chance that they could feature more regularly, too.
A first defeat under Frank for Spurs
For all their progress during this pre-season period, that marks a very disappointing first defeat under Thomas Frank for Spurs.
Getting picked apart so easily — even by one of Europe’s top sides — is a worry.
FULL TIME: Bayern Munich 4-0 Tottenham Hotspur
And that’s full time!
The referee does not bother adding anything extra on at the end of the match and as the clock ticks over to 90 minutes he brings things to a close.
Plenty to digest from that one.
Full time cannot come soon enough for Spurs
They have had their chances in this match but Spurs have been poor today.
Bayern have shown their class — and even with teenagers on the pitch they have had plenty to smile about.
A frustrating display for Thomas Frank’s side, who will be glad for the full time whistle.
Pre-season or otherwise, Tottenham have really not been very good. It's 4-0 now — another brilliant goal —and it's turning into the thrashing that they deserve.
There are caveats to add, of course, but it's difficult to know what the positives from this are, beyond further clarity surrounding the need for additions.
It is one thing to lose to Bayern when they are at full strength, but conceding two goals when they have thrown on a load of academy players will sting Spurs.
At least they have a nice easy fixture next against... the Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.
Two Spurs changes
On come Bissouma and Gray for Bentancur and Sarr.
GOAL! Kusi-Asare with a quality strike
These have been four very top quality finishes from Bayern and Kusi-Asare rifles one into the top corner from a wide angle.
It’s a demolition of Spurs.
Lovely Bayern goal. Lennart Karl is one of their great hopes for the future and is expected to get plenty of minutes this season at first team level.
Keep finishing like that — placed and curved from the edge of the box — and he certainly will.
How are Bayern set up now?
Manuel Neuer remains in goal.
At the back, it's Boey, Kim, Cassiano Kiala, and Guerreiro.
Santos Daiber and Bischof make up a young engine room, with Lennart Karl and Paul Wanner joining Luis Diaz in attacking midfield.
Kusi-Asare replaces Kane up front.
A sign of how dominant Bayern have been, that Vincent Kompany has turned to the kids off the bench.
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