Harry Kane identifies Paris Saint-Germain as his Champions League pick

Harry Kane believes Paris Saint-Germain are the leading contenders to win the Champions League again this season, despite Bayern Munich being among the clubs he sees as capable of challenging for the trophy.

The Bayern Munich striker was asked for his prediction by Spanish newspaper MARCA on the day of the Champions League draw. Kane, the current European Golden Shoe winner, placed Paris Saint-Germain ahead of a group of leading European clubs that includes his own side.

“I think Paris Saint-Germain are the favourites because they have won the title for two years running. Then, of course, there are other teams such as Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Barcelona… all the big teams will be there,” Kane said.

Paris Saint-Germain’s recent success has made them Kane’s choice to lead the field, although he stressed that the competition remains at a very early stage. The draw will establish the route through the league phase, with each team set to play eight matches before the knockout stages begin.

“We have only just started. We are at the foot of the mountain and there is still a long way to go, with many matches ahead, eight games in the league phase, and then, of course, the entire knockout stage,” Kane added.

Kane also reflected on Bayern Munich’s European campaign last season, when they were narrowly beaten by the eventual champions in the semi-final. While the German club fell short of reaching the final, the England captain said the team could take encouragement from its performance.

“I think we had a really good campaign in Europe. We lost to a great team like Paris Saint-Germain by a very small margin, so sometimes you have to accept these things and move on,” he said.

The 32-year-old’s attention is now firmly on the new campaign and Bayern Munich’s attempt to go further in the Champions League. He said the players and staff had returned with the same determination that had been evident since he joined the club.

“From the first day I have been here, I realised that the other players and the management had come back to work with the same mentality. Last season is over, and we will see what happens this season. Now, our focus is on continuing to improve, trying to win this season, and, of course, the Champions League is one of our main targets,” Kane said.

Bayern Munich’s defeat by Paris Saint-Germain last season remains part of the background to Kane’s assessment, but his comments made clear that the German club are not short of ambition. He expects the leading teams to be involved when the competition reaches its decisive stages, while identifying the defending champions as the side most likely to set the standard.

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