England's Harry Kane has spoken of his huge respect for his former Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho, warning that facing Real Madrid in the Champions League will only get tougher under the Portuguese.
Asked by the Spanish newspaper "Marca" whether Mourinho was an "exceptional" figure to him, the Bayern Munich striker replied: "Yes, I love Jose. We had a very good relationship at Tottenham. Things did not end the way we wanted, and his not getting the chance to lead the team in that final (referring to the 2020-2021 English League Cup final, where Mourinho was sacked in April) was harsh and difficult for me too, but my relationship with him was excellent."
The Bayern striker went on: "I produced some of my best games at Tottenham under his leadership, where I won the Golden Boot and the Playmaker Award in the same year. He gave me a lot of freedom to be myself in play and to drop into midfield to receive the ball. And I think that as someone who understands every detail of the game, whether with the ball or without it, tactically and with the referees, he grasps every situation."
Kane continued: "I have a lot of respect for Mourinho, and it is true that we have not met much since he left Tottenham, but we may come up against each other this year in the Champions League and it would be good to meet him again."
Would Real Madrid be a tougher proposition for Bayern with Mourinho in charge? Kane explained: "Real Madrid have signed good players and Mourinho is a great manager who will get the best out of his players. Madrid always have the best players in the world, and this year is no different from the last."
He added: "We know there are strong chances of facing Real later in the tournament, as Madrid are always present in the latter stages of the Champions League. We got the better of them last year (when we knocked them out in the quarter-finals), but we know it was a very difficult match, and with Mourinho now present it will be more complicated."
A third Golden Boot beckons, the award for Europe's top scorer. That would put him on the podium of history alongside Lionel Messi (six awards) and Cristiano Ronaldo (four), a feat nobody else has managed. "Messi and Ronaldo dominated football for a whole generation, and they are among the best in history," said the England star. "Being in this comparison is something special and it is a goal for me."
Kane finished: "As a striker, I am expected to score goals. The Golden Boot is not my only goal, but of course I know that winning it means helping the team too, and all of that gives me the motivation. Every time I win an award I want another, and this time will be no different. I hope to be present again this season by scoring as many goals as possible in the Bundesliga, and we will see whether I win the award again."
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