LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 26: Harry Kane of Bayern Munich reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD5 match between Arsenal FC and FC Bayern München at Arsenal Stadium on November 26, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Harry Kane’s past is rich with rivalry with Arsenal FC. As a former Arsenal academy player (during a very brief stint) who eventually rose through the ranks of archrivals Tottenham Hotspur to become one of the Lilywhites’ greatest-ever players, it is not difficult to build a narrative of serious animosity between Bayern Munich’s star striker and Arsenal.
However, there does not seem to be much animosity from Kane’s side. Asked by Bayern’s magazine Säbener 51 how special it will be to face Arsenal in the Champions League phase of the 2026/27 season, Kane sounded fairly unbothered.
“I don’t know, the media make this story bigger before the game than it is for me. Arsenal are a strong team and I had a lot of great battles against them over the years,” Kane explained (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). “Obviously it feels a bit different with Bayern than it did then with Tottenham. Obviously I can’t completely ignore this background, but I’ve also played against Arsenal with Bayern a number of times now. The main thing for me is doing my job and winning the game.”
It is certainly true that Kane is now used to playing against Arsenal as a Bayern player, given he faced them twice in the 2023/24 quarterfinals and once in the 2025/26 League Phase. At this point, he may as well be back in the Premier League. However, given that their last encounter ended in an ultimately comfortable Arsenal victory, there has to be some excitement in the Bayern dressing room—Kane included—to right the wrongs of that loss.
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