Harry Kane on Bayern's bench for Champions League clash. The reason revealed
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany delivered a real surprise ahead of the opening whistle in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16.
Details: Vincent Kompany has opted to leave his striker Harry Kane on the bench. The English forward suffered a painful blow to his shin back on February 28 during the 'Klassiker' against Borussia Dortmund, a match in which he scored a brace. Due to this injury, Kane already missed Friday's Bundesliga fixture against Borussia Mönchengladbach. And although he traveled with the squad to Italy to the New Balance Arena, according to Mundo Deportivo, he is still experiencing some minor issues. Therefore, the coaching staff decided not to risk their talisman's health from the opening minutes.
In Kane's absence, Kompany has entrusted the spearhead of the attack to Nico Jackson. The Senegalese striker impressed in the previous match, scoring a goal and winning a penalty—performances that clearly convinced the coach of his ability to temporarily fill the shoes of the club’s main star.
The full starting lineup for the Munich side is as follows:
Worth noting, Kane’s stats this season are simply phenomenal: 45 goals in 37 matches (including 8 in the Champions League).
The match is scheduled to kick off at 21:00 Central European Time.
Reminder: The Opta supercomputer has revealed its Champions League favorite and Bayern’s chances have been updated.
