Harry Kane admits Bayern Munich have a 'long mountain to climb' to win Champions League as England captain insists Bundesliga giants can go all the way

The Bavarians couldn’t have asked for a better warm-up. Vincent Kompany’s side battered Hamburg with ruthless precision, a result that kept their momentum roaring and Kane’s personal tally ticking up to eight goals already this season. But Kane knows fine domestic form means nothing once the Champions League anthem starts. For Bayern, it’s not about participation, it’s about adding a seventh European crown to their collection.

Waiting in the wings are Chelsea, the reigning FIFA Club World Cup holders under Enzo Maresca. The London club arrive in Munich with swagger after their own bright start, and Kane is fully aware of the threat posed by a squad packed with talent, including several of his England team-mates.

Kane cut a no-nonsense figure when speaking to TNT Sports, making Bayern’s ambitions crystal clear: "I think the expectation - and, of course, the hope - is always to win the Champions League. We have a good enough team, a good enough squad to be able to do that but, as we know, it’s difficult playing against the best teams in Europe throughout the whole season."

The forward reflected on Bayern’s recent near misses, including last season’s painful quarter-final exit at the hands of Inter Milan. Missed chances proved costly then, and Kane underlined that turning dominance into goals at the key moments is the only way forward.

"We came close in my first season with Thomas [Tuchel] and now even last season was a disappointing way to go out against Inter Milan," he said. "Over the two legs we felt we done enough but in the moments, we didn’t take [chances], so it’s just about building on that and get one step further than we did last year and hopefully go all the way. It’s down to us. It’s a long mountain climb ahead so it’s just about trying to focus on this next league stage and trying to do the best in that."

If Bayern are to scale the summit, Kane’s shoulders will bear even more weight in the coming weeks. Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies are both sidelined, stripping Kompany of two of his most explosive outlets. That puts extra responsibility on Kane to not only score but also inspire those around him, particularly in matches where the fine margins will decide who stays in and who drops out.