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Harry Kane Ready to “Thrive off the Hate” Ahead of Bayern vs Chelsea Showdown
Harry Kane is ready to embrace the hostile atmosphere from Chelsea supporters when Bayern Munich face the Blues in a blockbuster Champions League clash at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday evening.
Chelsea open their European campaign with one of the week’s most anticipated fixtures, and Kane – who has 19 goals and six assists in 25 Champions League appearances for Bayern – is determined to add to his impressive record. The England captain has already scored eight times in 22 matches against Chelsea during his career and is relishing the chance to hurt them again.
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Kane: “That Motivates Me”
Speaking to the media on Tuesday afternoon, Kane reflected on his long-standing rivalry with Chelsea from his Tottenham Hotspur days and revealed that the animosity from opposition fans drives him to perform.
“I think the rivalry was a good rivalry we had, especially early on in my Tottenham career, the [Mauricio] Pochettino era. We had a lot of tough games, good games against each other.
Maybe the Chelsea fans don’t like me as much – and Arsenal fans don’t like me as much – but that makes me want to play better, that motivates me.
Playing against Premier League opposition always brings a little bit more expectation. Being at the Allianz, with an English team here, we like to try and stamp our authority on the game – and we’ll try to do that tomorrow. But we know we have to be at 100 per cent.”
Nicolas Jackson Set for Strange Reunion
Wednesday’s tie could see Chelsea loanee Nicolas Jackson line up against his parent club. The 24-year-old striker joined Bayern on transfer deadline day and is eligible to play under UEFA rules.
Kane was full of praise for his new teammate, though he admitted the Senegal international is still adjusting to life in Munich.
“It was good for him to get 45 minutes on the weekend [against Hamburg]. He looked sharp and had a couple of half chances. In training, he’s looked really good.
It’s not easy coming into a team like us when we’re so well-drilled, but he shows a lot of qualities. He’s physically very strong and fast. If he plays tomorrow, he’ll be eager to impress and get his first goal. His attitude and willingness to learn have been excellent.”
A Clash with Added Edge
The Allianz Arena is expected to host a fiery contest as Chelsea look to spoil Bayern’s start to the campaign. For Kane, though, this is another opportunity to cement his reputation as one of the most clinical forwards in world football — and perhaps deepen Chelsea’s European woes.
Harry Kane Ready to “Thrive off the Hate” Ahead of Bayern vs Chelsea Showdown
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