Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has admitted Bayer Leverkusen are favourites in the Bundesliga title race but says his side won’t give up before the end of the season.
Kane’s hot start to life in Germany looked set to power the perennial national champions to a 12th successive title.
However, off-field drama has dogged the Bavarian giants throughout the 2023/24 campaign, with manager Thomas Tuchel now set to leave the club at the end of the season, and that lack of focus has allowed Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen to march into a seven-point lead at the top of the table.
That advantage could be restored to ten should they beat Wolfsburg on Sunday and, speaking after Bayern’s 8-1 crushing of Mainz, Kane conceded Leverkusen are more suitably placed to earn a first ever Bundesliga title.
“I think realistically, of course, they are favourites to win the league,” he told the Bundesliga’s official website.
“I think everyone knows that but all we can do is what we have done today – just win our games. There are around ten games left. We have to try and win all of them and then see what [Leverkusen] do.
“They’ve had a fantastic season. Credit to them for that. This is always the business end [of the season], this is always the hardest part, so all we can do is try and win our games and hopefully they drop points.”
Having left Tottenham to win trophies and play in the Champions League, Kane is in danger of finishing another season without any silverware. Having failed in both domestic cups, Bayern’s only remaining hope is in Europe, though they were unconvincing in the first leg against Lazio before turning the last-16 tie around at home.
The England captain reached 30 league goals on Saturday, becoming the first player to score four hat-tricks in their debut Bundesliga campaign in the process. He’s up to 36 goals in all competitions in total.
Kane added: “I’m enjoying playing every match. I’m enjoying the feeling, I’m enjoying playing for this great football club. There are plenty of games left.
“I’m hoping I break 30 [goals] for sure. We just have to take it game by game. We have a little bit of a break, a week’s break now. Then, try and do the same next week. As the striker in the team, of course people expect me to score goals so hopefully I can deliver.”
