Harry Kane Strikes Again: The Return to Emirates Haunts Arsenal

Some Arsenal fans may have felt anxious leading up to Tuesday's Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Bayern Munich. This was because they were up against the familiar foe, Harry Kane, who had caused them trouble for nine years while playing for Tottenham Hotspur.

Kane has a history of scoring goals in north London. Before Tuesday's match, he had already scored 14 goals in 19 games against Arsenal, as well as providing one assist. Half of these goals were scored from penalty kicks.

Since moving to Bayern Munich last summer, Kane has experienced significant personal success. In his first season in Germany, he has broken Bundesliga goalscoring records.

In just 14 matches, the 30-year-old player became the quickest to score 20 goals in the Bundesliga, surpassing Uwe Seeler's previous record of 21 goals.

Kane's 32 goals in his first Bundesliga season are the most ever scored by a player, breaking Seeler's record of 30 goals set in the league's first season back in 1963-64.

In total, the Englishman has scored an impressive 32 goals and provided seven assists in 28 Bundesliga matches. He has the opportunity to surpass Robert Lewandowski's record of 41 goals in a single season, set by the Polish player in 2020-21.

Furthermore, he has achieved four hat-tricks, a feat that no other player had accomplished in their debut Bundesliga season.

Kane handled the pressure of a hostile atmosphere.

Kane handled the pressure of a hostile atmosphere.

David Klein/Reuters

Bayern as a team, however, has struggled under much-maligned coach Thomas Tuchel, who is leaving the club at the end of the season.

Bayern's chances of winning the Bundesliga title for the 12th consecutive season are slipping away, with Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen dominating the league. The team also suffered a shocking defeat to third-division FC Saarbrücken in the German Cup second round.

With the domestic titles slipping away, Bayern's focus now shifts to the Champions League as their last opportunity for silverware this season. Kane, who has been a goal-scoring machine for both club and country, is eager to win his first trophy in his career.

Kane was beaming with joy during the warmup on Tuesday night, clearly enjoying being back in enemy territory.

Arsenal fans watching the Bayern warmup may have felt a sense of déjà vu after Kane's first shot -– with his weaker left foot -– hit the underside of the crossbar on its way towards the top corner. His second attempt, also with his left foot, went past the goalkeeper and into the net.

The Bayern line-up was announced 15 minutes before kick off, and when Kane's name was read out, there was a chorus of boos around the stadium. This led to the first chants of "Arsenal, Arsenal, Arsenal!"

Tuchel commented on the hostile atmosphere directed towards Kane, saying "He's too old and experienced to be affected by it. He has a strong personality and we all know that, even the players. We rely on him and he's happy with that."

With Eric Dier, a former Spurs player, also in the starting lineup for Bayern, Arsenal fans had numerous chances to boo. They made sure to express their disapproval loudly every time either of these two players had possession during the game.

Although Bayern has faced challenges in their domestic league this season, they have shown their strengths in the Champions League. Some of their top performances this season have been in European competition.

Arsenal fans thought Kane should have been shown a red card in the second half.

Arsenal fans thought Kane should have been shown a red card in the second half.

Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

Ahead of the game, Tuchel sounded confident that Kane would extend his incredible record against Arsenal.

The German manager mentioned that he has seen him succeed many times before, so he believes he will continue tomorrow. Tuchel's comments may seem like he predicted the future, but both men felt confident that Kane would score from the penalty spot.

Tuchel mentioned that they discussed it in the elevator after the match. Both he and the player had a feeling that they would get a penalty. It had been a while since they last had a penalty in October, so it was a pleasant surprise that they were both correct.

After Serge Gnaby scored to equalize following Bukayo Saka's goal, Leroy Sané was fouled in the box. This resulted in Kane getting the opportunity to score from the penalty spot.

Kane made taking the penalty look effortless, fooling Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya and calmly slotting the ball into the bottom right corner.

Just like he had done five times before at the Emirates, Kane celebrated by spinning away and doing his signature hop and fist pump in the corner of the stadium.

Due to Bayern fans being banned from the match for throwing flares onto the pitch, the Emirates Stadium was unusually quiet during the game.

The most memorable moments of the night included Saka's goal and Trossard's equalizer. Another highlight was when Kane received a yellow card for a foul on Gabriel, prompting fans to wave imaginary red cards in protest.

Kane faced off against Gabriel and William Saliba in a tough battle on Tuesday night. Tuchel praised Kane's strength and performance, noting that he accepted the physicality of the game and showed composure during the penalty.

Kane scored the eighth penalty of his career against Arsenal.

Kane scored the eighth penalty of his career against Arsenal.

"He led many counterattacks, but we weren't able to get him involved in the final play to finish them off. This is typical because he played a role where he dropped back to help us build up our speed, and I was really pleased with his performance."

"He was really focused and happy to be here. It was a big ambition for him to score," Tuchel said about the second leg in Munich. "But the job is not done yet. He needs to do it again next week."

In his final years at Tottenham, Kane's skills as a playmaker and his ability to score goals with precision became more and more apparent.

He showcased his talent once more on Tuesday, making a remarkable first-time pass to set up Kingsley Coman during the second half of the game against Arsenal. Coman effortlessly received the ball without even slowing down.

After the match, Kane was interviewed by TNT Sports and was greeted with the familiar chant from Arsenal fans: "What do you think of Tottenham?"

“I think they have a soft respect for me,” Kane said with a grin.

Editor's P/S:

The article highlights Harry Kane's remarkable achievements since joining Bayern Munich, particularly his impressive goalscoring record in the Bundesliga. Despite Bayern's struggles in the domestic league, Kane's presence in the Champions League quarterfinals raised concerns for Arsenal fans, given his history of scoring against them. The match was filled with tension, with Arsenal fans expressing their disapproval towards Kane and former Spurs player Eric Dier. Kane's penalty goal showcased his composure and skill, extending his scoring record against Arsenal. While Bayern faces challenges in the Bundesliga, they remain a formidable force in the Champions League, and Kane's contributions will be crucial in their pursuit of silverware.