Misfiring Kane Needs To Shake Off Slump As Bayern Visit Freiburg

When his side travel to Freiburg on Saturday, Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane will attempt to recover from a goal-loss.

Kane still leads the Bundesliga in terms of goals scored in 16 games this year, but the numbers may concern the league leaders.

Kane hasn’t scored from open play since November, which is a run of seven games, despite the England captain’s remarkable dependability from the spot glossing over the decline in form.

Since his 2022 World Cup quarter-final defeat against France, he has scored two penalties, extending his streak to 27 consecutive spot kicks converted for club and nation.

In Wednesday’s 3-0 Champions League loss at Feyenoord, Kane and Bayern were dominant with the ball but were unable to convert a number of chances.

The 31-year-old hamstring strain forced him to play four games in December, but he is not yet 100% recovered.

“Of course we need his goals”, Bayern’s sporting director Max Eberl said of Kane.

He hasn’t scored, but he is probably more critical of himself than anyone else.

” He’s experienced many highs and a few lows. If there’s anyone who can handle a dip, it’s Harry Kane. “

Freiburg will face a Bayern team that has been severely hurt, according to Freiburg coach Julian Schuster on Thursday.

” When a team loses, there’s automatically a bit of extra spice next time around. And we are all aware of what a loss to Bayern means.

In his first season in charge, Schuster has his side sitting eighth. In their home town of Black Forest, where they have only lost once in nine games, Freiburg is particularly strong.

Schuster said Bayern’s midweek loss shows it is possible” to find gaps and to hurt them”.

On Saturday, Leverkusen travels to RB Leipzig knowing that if Bayern lose, they could close the gap at the top by winning.

Xabi Alonso’s defending champions had their own midweek setback, losing 2-1 at Atletico Madrid despite taking the lead in Spain.

Leipzig, who won 3-2 away in August, is 10 points behind Leverkusen, making them the only league opponent to defeat them.

Leverkusen are “a different calibre of team but promised” to make it as difficult for them as possible, according to Leipzig defender David Raum.

Nuri Sahin’s dismissal came a day after Dortmund’s 2-1 Champions League defeat at Bologna on Tuesday.

Mike Tullberg, Sahin’s interim replacement, will be on the sidelines in Saturday’s home clash with Werder Bremen tasked with getting Dortmund back to winning ways.

The Champions League finalists from the previous season sit 10th overall and have lost just one of their past nine games.

One to watch: Patrik Schick

Kane may be working hard to reach his best level, but Patrik Schick, the frontman of Bayer Leverkusen, cannot be denied.

In his last eight games, the Czech striker has scored 12 goals, none of which have come from the penalty spot.

Schick’s form means Leverkusen have not missed the injured Victor Boniface, who looks set to return to the squad this weekend.

The 28-year-old Schick spent the 2019-20 season on loan at Leipzig, netting 10 goals in 28 games, but he has never scored against his former employers.

Key stats
In his previous five league games, Benjamin Sesko has scored.

The last eight league games won by Bayer Leverkusen are 8.

16th – Borussia Dortmund have won just one and lost six of their nine away games this season, the third-worst away record in the Bundesliga

Fixtures (1430 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Wolfsburg v Holstein Kiel (1930)

Saturday

Mainz v Stuttgart, RB Leipzig v Bayer Leverkusen, Augsburg v Heidenheim, Freiburg v Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund v Werder Bremen, Borussia Moenchengladbach v Bochum (1730)

Sunday

Hoffenheim v Eintracht Frankfurt, St Pauli v Union Berlin (1630)

Source: Channels TV