The Japan Times - Kane hopes to 'silence' the doubters as Bayern title looms

If they beat sixth-placed Mainz and second-placed Bayer Leverkusen fail to beat Augsburg at home, Bayern and Kane will be crowned Bundesliga winners.

Bayern are eight points clear with four games remaining, so a first title for Kane is a mere formality.

But after losing six finals -- three with Tottenham, two with England and one with Bayern -- a debut title win would be a long-awaited reward for the 31-year-old forward.

After two decades at boyhood club Tottenham, Kane moved to Bayern in 2023, motivated by a desire for team honours.

While Bayern's dreams of winning the Champions League in their own stadium this season flamed out with a quarter-final loss to Inter Milan, lifting the Bundesliga shield would soothe frustrations after a trophyless 2023-24.

Kane has rarely spoken about the title, preferring to focus on the task at hand, but in February he revealed how much the pursuit of a team honour drove him.

"There are many people who, throughout my career, only talk about the fact I haven't won a title yet. It would be nice to silence a few of them," Kane said.

Kane would also join Kevin Keegan and Owen Hargreaves as Englishmen who won the Bundesliga.

Speaking with Sky Germany on Wednesday, Bayern powerbroker Uli Hoeness -- a key player behind the 100 million euro ($105 million) decision to bring Kane to Bavaria -- said "nobody deserves the title more" than the England captain.

Calling Kane "a real Bayern player", Hoeness lavished praise on the striker, saying "he fights, he works, he scores an incredible number of goals, but he also works hard for the team.

"You can feel that he absolutely wants to win this title."

On Saturday, Eintracht Frankfurt can take a step in qualifying for the Champions League through a top-four finish for the first time, when they host RB Leipzig.

Frankfurt, whose only other participation in the modern Champions League came through winning the Europa League, sit three points clear of fourth-placed Leipzig.

Leipzig could fall as low as sixth with a loss, while seventh-placed Borussia Dortmund -- who have taken 10 of a possible 12 points in their past four matches -- are also within striking distance.

One to watch: Yussuf Poulsen (RB Leipzig)

RB Leipzig's trip to third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday will be crucial in the Champions League race.

Leipzig have only missed the Champions League once since their promotion in 2016 and being absent from the top European stage would be a major setback as new Red Bull boss Jurgen Klopp oversees his first off-season with the club.

Leipzig striker Yussuf Poulsen said Klopp had already been to the club "several" times and had made a mark with his "experience, passion and knowledge. His entire career demonstrates what he is capable of."

Poulsen joined when Leipzig were in the third division in 2013, before two successive promotions, back-to-back German Cups and a Champions League semi-final.

He told AFP on Wednesday "there is not enough room in the sky for us to make that development again," but said "the next step for this club is to win titles regularly."

Key stats

12 - Thomas Mueller has won a record 12 Bundesliga titles. If Bayern win the title, Mueller would equal Ryan Giggs' record of 13, the most in the top-five European leagues.

36 - St Pauli sit 14th, but they have conceded just 36 goals -- only Bayern and Leverkusen have fewer in the against column.

Fixtures (1330 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Stuttgart v Heidenheim (1830)

Saturday

Bayer Leverkusen v Augsburg, Holstein Kiel v Borussia Moenchengladbach, Hoffenheim v Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich v Mainz, Wolfsburg v Freiburg, Eintracht Frankfurt v RB Leipzig (1630)

Sunday

Bochum v Union Berlin, Werder Bremen v St Pauli (1530)

T.Ueda--JT