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Bayern Munich close in on Bundesliga title: Has the Harry Kane curse been broken?

By on February 16, 2025

Bayern Munich was held to a goalless draw with Bayer Leverkusen on Matchday 22 of the 2024/25 Bundesliga season, keeping them eight points clear of the holding champions at the top of the League table.

Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich, the top two teams in Germany, faced off in a match that could have decided the title race as early as February. For German football, this was the biggest game of the 2024/25 season. None of the eleven Sky Deutschland pundits predicted a Bayern Munich win. From the kick-off whistle, it was clear this match would be very different from Vincent Kompany’s first encounter with Xabi Alonso in September 2024 or their elimination at the DFB Cup Round of 16 in December 2024. This time, Leverkusen started much more aggressively and hit the bar twice in the first half.

Bayern had some luck in this game. Their attack wasn’t very impressive, Harry Kane, Micheal Olise, Kingsley Coman, and Jamal Musiala were shut down for most of the game by Xavi Alonso’s starting eleven which featured six defenders, but their defense and tactical adaptability were surprisingly strong. Kompany’s side was inexperienced tactically but they surprisingly knew how to control the game. And for most of the match, before stoppage time and the late chances, Bayern managed to do just that. Back in September, Xabi Alonso outplayed Kompany by using a defensive strategy to secure a result at the hardest stadium in Germany. This time, Kompany turned the tables by playing a defensive game himself and getting a result away from home turf.

Even though this was a must-win game for Leverkusen, the real pressure was on Bayern. On paper, Bayern’s first season under Vincent Kompany has been record-breaking. They look dominant in the Bundesliga. However, as many fans know, stats don’t always tell the full story as the Bavarians have struggled to replicate this success against bigger opponents. Their Champions League’s League phase is a very good example of this theory. They have easily beaten weaker teams like Bochum, Holstein Kiel, and Werder Bremen but have struggled against stronger opponents in both the Bundesliga and European competitions. 

Vincent Kompany took over a team that isn’t truly ‘world-class’ (at least not compared to Bayern’s legendary squads from 2012/13 and 2019/20) but has made the most of it in his few months with the club since joining from Burnley. They now find themselves eight points clear at the top with 12 more Bundesliga games to play.

As it stands, Bayern Munich is on track to reclaim the title they lost last year after 11 consecutive triumphs. Thanks to a remarkable unbeaten season Bayer Leverkusen had in the last campaign. The German giants have now gone six games without a win against Leverkusen. Their last victory was a 4-0 win at home on the 30th of September 2022. 

Should Bayern keep up this streak till the very end (which looks even more likely considering the games ahead), one person in the squad will finally find the redemption he seeks in his long and impressive career. This is none other than England’s Harry Kane.

The former Spurs striker has always been a prolific goal scorer, winning Golden Boots in both the Premier League and the World Cup. However, despite his impressive record, he is still known for not winning major trophies. Much of this is due to spending most of his career at Tottenham and playing for England, two teams often criticized for falling short in big competitions. As a result, Kane has collected multiple runner-up medals, including in the European Championship (twice), the Champions League, and the English League Cup (twice as well).

Surprisingly, even after moving to Bayern Munich in 2023, Kane has yet to win a trophy. He missed out on the DFL-Supercup in his first match with the club, and Bayern ended the season without any silverware for the first time in 12 years despite his record-breaking goal-scoring form. Many rival fans, especially Arsenal supporters, have mocked Kane’s continued bad luck, joking that he is “cursed.” However, there is no real curse, just bad timing. The biggest reason for Bayern’s struggles has been the rise of Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen, who outperformed last season and are replicating the same form this season. Hopefully, Bayern succeeds this season and the goal machine gets the silverware he has long yearned for.

JAMAL MUSIALA NEW RELEASE CLAUSE REVEALED

Jamal Musiala has signed a new contract that will see him earn £20.8 million per year, making him one of Bayern Munich’s highest-paid players, alongside Harry Kane.

Musiala and Kane have formed a strong attacking partnership, which has helped Bayern take an eight-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga. The announcement of Musiala’s contract extension gave Bayern a boost ahead of their goalless draw with Bayer Leverkusen. Manager Vincent Kompany and sporting director Max Eberl see Musiala as a key part of their long-term plans and want to build the squad around him.

Musiala, who was part of Chelsea’s academy, joined Bayern in 2019. At the time, he was not widely known, but the club believed they had found a special talent and they were right. In just a few years, he has developed into one of Europe’s best playmakers. Born in Stuttgart, Musiala played for England’s youth teams until 2020, before choosing to represent Germany at the senior level. He is now a key player for the national team, forming a strong partnership with Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz.

Bayern Munich included an eye-watering €175 million (£145.5m/$180m) release clause to Jamal’s new contract which will be active between the summer of 2025 and 2029. In the final year of his contract, the amount will reduce to €100m (£83m/$103.5m). The deal also adds that Musiala is all set to poke a salary between €25m to €26m per season, making the deal the most lucrative contract extension in German Bundesliga history.

Musiala has already delivered many memorable performances for Bayern, including his title-winning goal against Cologne in May 2023, which helped the team steal the Bundesliga title from Borussia Dortmund in the final minutes of the season. Whenever Musiala is injured or unavailable, the Bavarians struggle to perform at their best. His absence is clearly felt, as the team looks less effective without him. A good example of this was their 4-1 defeat to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League earlier this season.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE BAVARIANS?

Bayern Munich will continue their thrilling Adventure this season on Tuesday night when they welcome Celtic for the second Leg of the UEFA Champions League playoffs. Vincent Kompany’s men are leading the tie by a thin margin and are more likely to advance to the Round of 16 than their Scottish opponents who have a history of causing upsets.

Aside from Champions League football, the race to reclaim the Bundesliga title continues. A draw with Bayer Leverkusen ensured they maintained their eight-point lead at the top. To stretch this margin to the finish line, the 33 times Bundesliga Champions will have to check all the boxes in the second half of the season. Here is a list of Bayern Munich games in the coming weeks:

Bayern Munich vs. Celtic (UEFA Champions League, Tuesday 18th February, 21:00)

Bayern Munich vs. Eintracht Frankfurt (German Bundesliga, Sunday 23rd February, 17:30)

VfB Stuttgart vs. Bayern Munich (German Bundesliga, Friday 28th February, 20:30)

Bayern Munich vs. Bochum (German Bundesliga, Saturday 8th March, 15:30)

Union Berlin vs. Bayern Munich (German Bundesliga, Saturday 15th March, 15:30)

Bayern Munich vs. St. Pauli (German Bundesliga, Saturday 29th March, 15:30)

Augsburg vs. Bayern Munich (German Bundesliga, Saturday 5th April, Time TBD)

Bayern Munich vs. Borussia Dortmund (German Bundesliga, Saturday 12th April, Time TBD)

Heidenheim vs. Bayern Munich (German Bundesliga, Saturday 19th April, Time TBD)

Bayern Munich vs. Mainz (German Bundesliga, Saturday 26th April, Time TBD)

RB Leipzig vs. Bayern Munich (German Bundesliga, Saturday 3rd May, Time TBD)

Bayern Munich vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach (German Bundesliga, Saturday 10th May, Time TBD)

WHERE TO GET AVAILABLE BAYERN MUNICH TICKETS

Get Bayern Munich tickets that are currently in high demand. Official sites are sold out due to this demand but secondary ticket marketplaces have got you covered. Compare prices, pick the best spot for your experience, and be Live to cheer on Balverians. Make sure to circle the dates on your calendar and reserve tickets to cheer Bayern Munich on their journey through the 2024/25 season.