Harry Kane found himself facing some harsh criticism from the German media following a lackluster performance against Aston Villa in the Champions League.
The stakes were high as Kane and his Bayern Munich teammates aimed to build on their impressive 9-2 victory over Dinamo Zagreb in their opening match.
However, it was Aston Villa who shocked everyone by coming out on top at Villa Park, with Jhon Duran’s stunning long-range goal sealing the win.
Frustration on the Field
Throughout the match, Kane seemed visibly frustrated.
He missed a golden opportunity to equalize late in the game, and earlier on, he appeared annoyed when teammate Serge Gnabry opted not to pass the ball to him for an easy tap-in.
Such moments only highlighted the pressure on Kane to deliver, especially after a strong start to the season.
According to the German publication BILD, Kane’s performance was one to forget.
The publication noted that he struggled to make an impact, especially given his recent form.
Despite being cleared to play after some ankle issues from a previous match against Bayer Leverkusen, he could not find his footing against Villa.
Harsh Ratings Reflect the Performance
Kane was given a disappointing rating of five out of six by BILD, where one represents the best performance and six the worst.
Described as “invisible,” he was unable to add to his impressive tally of ten goals in seven matches prior to the game.
While he had shined in the win against Zagreb, the Villa defense, led by Diego Carlos and Pau Torres, successfully neutralized his threat.
Even upon his return home, the England captain was still deemed absent from the match, with the publication stating that he only managed a single shot on goal just before the final whistle.
This echoed his struggles in the previous game against Leverkusen, where he also failed to shine.
A Challenging Transition
Before this recent match, Kane had enjoyed a strong run, scoring five goals in four games, including a hat trick against Holstein Kiel.
However, it appears that the transition to his new role under Vincent Kompany is proving to be a challenging one, at least for now.
Kane wasn’t the only Bayern player facing tough assessments; two of his teammates also received low ratings.
Alphonso Davies and Kingsley Coman both earned a five, criticized for their mistakes on the field.
The Goalkeeper Under Fire
Adding to the turmoil, Bayern’s goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer received backlash for his positioning during Duran’s goal.
Stranded and caught off-guard, Neuer was lobbed from 25 yards out, leading to a rating of four.
BILD didn’t hold back, questioning his decision-making and stating that his risky style of play backfired.
With the England squad waiting for him after this weekend’s matches, it will be interesting to see how Kane bounces back from this disappointing outing.
The pressure will be on him to regroup and regain his scoring form in the upcoming fixtures.
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