Harry Kane has been speaking ahead of Bayern Munich's crunch Champions League clash against Arsenal at the Emirates and discussed his record against the Gunners
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has opened up about how Arsenal have developed since their Champions League meeting back in 2023. The Gunners were eliminated in the quarter-finals by the Bundesliga side following a 3-2 aggregate defeat two years ago, with Kane netting in the opening leg at the Emirates.
The England captain was frequently Arsenal's tormentor throughout his lengthy stint at Tottenham, with 11 strikes against them making him the all-time leading goalscorer in North London Derbies. The most recent clash between the sides took place this past weekend with his former club heavily beaten 4-1.
Meanwhile, Kane has already netted 27 times this season and will certainly be aiming to increase that figure on Wednesday night. Speaking before the major European encounter, Kane was questioned about his remarkable record against Arsenal, which prompted him to acknowledge a harsh reality he's hoping to put right.
He said: "With Tottenham, it was always one of the biggest games of the season against Arsenal. I have friends who are fans of both teams."
"It's not quite the same with Bayern as we don't always play against each other – we got an important win against them in the quarter-finals two years ago. I've scored a lot of goals here in this stadium – but haven't won many games. I hope we can change that tomorrow.
"Obviously when I was at Tottenham, the North London derby was always a big moment. But it's not about me against Arsenal, it's about Bayern against Arsenal. I'm in good form and it's all about helping my team and scoring goals."
Mikel Arteta has transformed Arsenal's defensive resilience since Kane last encountered them, with his squad maintaining a clean sheet throughout this season's Champions League campaign. One encouraging factor for Bayern is Gabriel Magalhaes' absence from the fixture and forthcoming matches due to a groin problem.
Nevertheless, the 32-year-old recognises their capabilities, with additional fixtures at European football's highest level aiding their development. Kane said: "They've become more solid, they have more experience – but they play similarly to how they did back then; defensively, their structure is better.
"They've gained experience in the Champions League, which has made them better and helped them grow. That's why they're in the position they're in right now. It will be a good test for us tomorrow."
Discussing what Bayern require to defeat their rivals, he continued: "It'll be a tough game for us. There's a reason why Arsenal are up there in the Champions League and Premier League. They're very solid.
"We need to make sure we're alert all over and that we make things tough for them to win the ball back. We need to make use of other strengths, our pressing. It's two of the best teams in the world."