Harry Kane warned one thing will stop him from winning club football’s biggest prize

Harry Kane’s hopes of lifting the Champions League with Bayern Munich hinge on one key component.

The England captain has been in sumptuous form for Bayern this season having netted 29 goals in as many games across all competitions.

Kane’s most recent strike came in Wednesday’s 2-1 Champions League playoff round first-leg victory over Celtic.

Bayern can thank Kane for their advantage heading into next week’s return leg at the Allianz Arena where they will be strong favourites to advance to the round of 16.

If Vincent Kompany’s men see off the Hoops, then a mouthwatering clash against Bayer Leverkusen or Atletico Madrid awaits the Bundesliga leaders.

Bayern’s path to a potential final in their own stadium in May could see Kane and Bayern paired with Arsenal in the quarter-finals for the second season in succession.

But talk of Bayern claiming home advantage in this year’s final, as they did in 2012, is premature according to Micah Richards.

The former Manchester City defender heaped praise on Kane for his winner at Celtic Park but pinpointed a crucial flaw in Bayern’s game plan that could see them come unstruck against superior opposition and deny Kane a shot at lifting the famous trophy.

“We’ve talked about Barcelona’s high line, Barcelona do exactly the same thing and they’ve not worked out the balance yet,” Richards told The Rest is Football Podcast.

“Kane had a good game, he got his goal. Attacking-wise I think they can score against anyone but defensively unless they sharpen up and quickly, I think other teams will destroy them at the back.”

Kane previously came within a whisker of landing the Champions League trophy with Tottenham in the 2019 final in Madrid.

Liverpool were worthy 2-0 winners on the night but since then, the 31-year-old has struggled to get anywhere close to getting over the line.

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His move from Tottenham to Bayern last summer was seen to be his best shot yet at not just winning the Champions League but also ending his wait for an elusive first piece of silverware in his professional career.

Bayern missed out on every available trophy under Thomas Tuchel during Kane’s first season in Bavaria but the appointment of Kompany last summer has given the 2020 Champions League winners renewed hope.

Kane and co sit eight-points ahead of second-placed Leverkusen in the Bundesliga ahead of their pair’s meeting at the BayArena on Saturday.

A win for Bayern would see Kane with one hand on the trophy heading into the final 12 games of the season.

Richards’ take on Bayern’s defensive frailties could gain traction against Xabi Alonso’s free-scoring side who are second, behind Bayern, in the Bundesliga for goals scored.

Whilst the six-time European Cup winners struggled defensively last season, Kompany has brought much-needed stability to his side’s backline.

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Bayern boast the best defensive statistics in the Bundesliga this season, conceding just 19 times while allowing their domestic opponents just 109 shots on target – a German top-flight record at this stage of the season.

Kompany has helped build a somewhat coherent centre-back partnership of Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae, both of whom struggled for form under Tuchel.

“The defensive side of things is very important to him,” Bayern forward Serge Gnabry told the Bundesliga’s official website. “So, I think for us as strikers, having to press, trying to get the ball back as quickly as possible, it’s a good thing.

“And for sure he kind of brought us very close together as a team, as a squad. I think we have a great spirit right now.”