Harry Kane and Eric Dier find themselves on a collision course with old adversaries Arsenal in the upcoming Champions League fixture next month. As the Round of 16 concluded this week, Friday morning’s quarter-final draw set Bayern Munich against Mikel Arteta’s squad.
For the former Tottenham duo of Kane and Dier, this matchup signifies a showdown with their fierce rivals Arsenal as they strive to advance and potentially reach the Champions League final at Wembley on Saturday, June 1. Their history with Arsenal runs deep, and Tottenham fans will undoubtedly rally behind them when they face off in early April.
Kane’s potential impact looms large in this Champions League quarter-final encounter, given his impressive track record against Arsenal during his tenure with Tottenham. With 14 goals in 19 appearances against their arch-rivals, the England captain holds the title of the all-time top scorer in the North London Derby.
Since his move to the Allianz Arena last summer, Kane has maintained his goal-scoring prowess. In his 34 appearances for the German giants thus far, the 30-year-old has amassed an impressive tally of 36 goals and 11 assists in his debut season at the club.
Six of those goals have come in the Champions League, including a crucial brace in their decisive 3-0 home victory over Lazio in the Round of 16 second leg. While Bayern’s chances of clinching the Bundesliga title seem slim with Bayer Leverkusen leading the pack by a comfortable ten-point margin, the Champions League offers Kane perhaps his best shot at silverware this season.
Bayern has relished facing Arsenal in Europe’s premier competition in the past, notably thrashing them 10-2 on aggregate in the Round of 16 during the 2016/17 season and securing a resounding 5-1 victory over the north London club in the group stage a year earlier.
The first leg of this season’s clash will take place at the Emirates Stadium in the week commencing Monday, April 8, with the return leg in Germany scheduled for the following week.
The victors of this tie will square off against either Real Madrid or Manchester City in the semi-finals of the competition. All eyes will be on the Champions League showdown between Arsenal and Bayern Munich next month, presenting Kane with a golden opportunity to inflict further anguish on Tottenham’s formidable rivals.