Harry Kane fired Bayern Munich into the quarter-finals of the Champions League as the German side overturned a first-leg deficit against Lazio with a 3-0 win at the Allianz Arena.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg in Rome, Bayern were kept out until Kane headed home from close range – his 50th goal in European competition.

Thomas Muller doubled the lead on the night with another header seconds before the break as Matthijs de Ligt’s volley flashed across the six-yard area.

Lazio’s best chance had fallen to Ciro Immobile, their spot-kick scorer from the first game, just moments before Kane had levelled the tie.

But Immobile planted his header wide from six yards when it appeared easier to score.

Bayern sealed their progress into the last eight of a competition they have won six times after 66 minutes.

Leroy Sane’s shot was parried into the path of Kane, who had to adjust his feet sharply to score his second on the night and 33rd Bayern goal in as many appearances.

Kylian Mbappe’s brace saw Paris St Germain cruise into the quarter-finals, with a 2-1 win at Real Sociedad completing a 4-1 aggregate victory.

With a 2-0 lead in their pocket from the first leg, PSG were comfortable throughout.

Mbappe, the top scorer across Europe’s top five leagues so far this season, offered an early warning sign when he turned a shot narrowly over the bar from Fabian Ruiz’s cut-back in the fifth minute.

PSG were the dominant force and went ahead after 15 minutes through Mbappe’s fifth Champions League goal of the season, bending the ball across goal and inside the far post.

Mbappe punished Sociedad again 11 minutes into the second half, bursting on to Lee Kang-in’s through ball and whipping the ball in majestically at the near post. Mikel Merino scored a consolation for Sociedad a minute from time.

Harry Kane reached his half-century of European goals with an Allianz Arena double as Bayern Munich turned around their Champions League tie against Lazio to reach the last eight of the competition.

Kane scored twice and Thomas Muller added another to overturn Lazio’s first-leg lead in style and give Bayern a comfortable 3-0 victory in Bavaria.

Lazio’s resistance lasted 38 minutes, but there was only one outcome after Kane levelled the tie on aggregate with his 50th goal in European competition.

Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel sprang a surprise before kick-off by preferring England defender Eric Dier at centre-back to big-money summer purchase Kim Min-jae.

Lazio were aiming to reach a Champions League quarter-final for the first time since 2000 and had the first sight of goal inside five minutes, Matteo Guendouzi firing wide after being set up by Felipe Anderson.

But the pattern of the game was soon set as Bayern dominated possession, territory and chances before an expectant home crowd.

Leroy Sane shot straight at Ivan Provedel in the Lazio goal and Mario Gila stayed alert to block Jamal Musiala from 12 yards.

Provedel batted away Musiala’s firm effort and Gila was in the right place to deflect Kane’s effort wide.

Lazio bodies got in the way again to deny Musiala and Raphael Guerreiro, and Dier headed over Joshua Kimmich’s cross.

It had been one-way traffic for over half-an-hour, but Lazio should have doubled their aggregate lead eight minutes before the break.

Matthijs de Ligt inadvertently flicked Mattia Zaccagni’s cross into the path of Ciro Immobile but the Italy striker planted his header wide from six yards.

It was to prove a very costly miss as Kane instantly punished the Italians.

Muller headed down into a crowded goalmouth, Guerreiro’s mishit effort bounced into the ground, and Kane reacted first with a stooping header that Provedel got in the way of but could not stop.

Musiala sent a close-range opportunity wide and Bayern seized the lead in the tie for the first time in the second minute of stoppage time.

Immobile hoped he had diverted Guerreiro’s corner out of danger, but De Ligt sent back a ferocious volley which Muller headed home from inside the six-yard box.

Lazio had a penalty claim when Immobile went down under De Ligt’s challenge at the start of the second half.

But the Dutch defender appeared to make contact with the ball and normal order was quickly restored as Lazio hopes faded once and for all.

Provedel pushed out Sane’s shot and England captain Kane adjusted his feet sharply to plunder the rebound for his 33rd goal in as many Bayern games.

Muller hit a post as Bayern sought to add extra gloss, but their passage into the last eight had been confirmed long before the final whistle.

What the papers say

Manchester United and Paris St Germain have emerged as the frontrunners to land the signature of Victor Osimhen in the summer. According to The Independent, Chelsea and Arsenal are also interested in the Napoli forward.

The Telegraph reports Newcastle are edging closer to inking a new deal with midfielder Joelinton. The 27-year-old has little over a year left on his current deal, but the two parties are believed to be on similar terms with negotiations proving productive thus far.

Tottenham have reportedly taken an interest in Sporting Lisbon midfielder Morten Hjulmand. The Sun, citing Portuguese paper Record, says Spurs sent scouts to watch the Denmark international in action as Sporting beat rivals Benfica 2-1 last Thursday, with a view to a potential summer move for the 24-year-old.

And the i says Newcastle intend to send 19-year-old winger Yankuba Minteh out on loan for a second successive season. Minteh has been at Dutch side Feyenoord this season.

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Alphonso Davies: Real Madrid are willing to offer as much as £43m for the Bayern Munich defender, according to Mundo Deportivo.

Archie Brown: HITC reports Chelsea, Leeds and West Ham are all monitoring the English defender, currently playing for Belgian side Gent.

Thomas Tuchel is not contemplating whether Tuesday’s Champions League tie with Lazio could be his last in charge of Bayern Munich.

It was announced last month that Tuchel would leave Bayern at the end of the season, but speculation over his future continues after Bayer Leverkusen opened up a 10-point lead at the Bundesliga summit over the weekend.

Bayern go into Tuesday’s last-16 second leg trailing 1-0 from the first meeting in Rome and failure to progress would further increase the scrutiny on their German boss.

Asked if it could be a knock-out game for him, Tuchel told a press conference: “Not from my side. Maybe from other sides but what we did discuss and decided is what we communicated on.

“I think there is no one else that wants to win this game more than myself.”

Given Leverkusen’s healthy advantage in the title race, the Champions League appears Bayern’s most likely chance to win silverware this season.

Ex-Chelsea manager Tuchel acknowledged the importance of this fixture, but hopes it can inspire his out-of-form team, who dropped two more points at Freiburg on Friday.

“I think everyone is aware that it is important and obviously in a situation like that, a certain amount of pressure is to be expected,” Tuchel admitted.

“With the first-leg result, it is not going to be super easy. The pressure is normal and the pressure is needed to bring special performances.

“Obviously the situation is clear. We need to win with two goals more against an Italian team, against a (Maurizio) Sarri team.

“It is about what we can bring to the pitch and the fans are there to support us from the first minute to hopefully create a specific atmosphere that could lead us to win with two goals.”

Bayern will be boosted by the return of Matthijs de Ligt, who missed the 2-2 draw at Freiburg due to a one-match ban.

Dutch defender De Ligt has struggled with a knee injury this season but urged his team-mates to stick together during a difficult period and admitted they must take responsibility for Tuchel’s imminent exit this summer.

 

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De Ligt added: “We players are responsible. We do everything together. When the coach has to go, then we also have to say we didn’t do well.

“We’re in this spell together and have to come out of it together. That’s why tomorrow is an hugely important game.

“Tomorrow is very important for us, for the whole club. We’re in a tough spot in the Bundesliga. The Champions League is also very important for us. We need to be ready.

“If you reach the quarter-finals, it’s good for the whole season, gives you energy. That’s why it’s a very important game for us.”

Eric Dier will remain at Bayern Munich for another season after a pre-agreed clause was met, the Bundesliga giants have said.

The 30-year-old joined Bayern on loan from Tottenham in January and has made seven appearances.

With Dier’s Spurs contract set to expire on June 30, an option to make his transfer permanent if he played a certain number of games was included in the deal.

Dier’s stay at Bayern will now run until at least June 30, 2025, and he said on fcbayern.com: “I’m happy in Munich. Now my future is sorted and I can focus on playing well for the club and trying to help the club to win games, win competitions, even though it’s been a difficult period for us.”

Dier had made only four appearances for Spurs this season, three of them off the bench, before following former team-mate Harry Kane to Germany.

The news officially brings to an end Dier’s time at Tottenham, where he made 365 appearances during a nine-and-a-half-year spell.

Max Eberl, FC Bayern board member for sport, said: “He’s a valuable support in our defence with all his character.”

Bayern Munich’s floundering Bundesliga title defence was dealt another blow after they were held to a frustrating 2-2 draw at Freiburg following Lucas Holer’s 87th-minute equaliser.

Thomas Tuchel’s men were on course for a much-needed comeback success at Europa-Park Stadion after eye-catching strikes from Mathys Tel and Jamal Musiala overturned Christian Gunter’s early opener.

But, with Harry Kane largely peripheral, Freiburg forward Holer hooked home late on to leave Bayern seven points adrift of leaders Bayer Leverkusen.

Xabi Alonso’s table-toppers can stretch their advantage to 10 points in Sunday’s derby at local rivals Cologne.

Bayern ended a three-match losing run, during which it was announced Tuchel will leave at the end of the season, thanks to Kane’s brace in last weekend’s 2-1 success over RB Leipzig.

The outgoing head coach made two enforced changes from that win as defender Kim Min-jae and 18-year-old forward Tel replaced the suspended Matthijs de Ligt and injured Leroy Sane.

Bayern began slowly and were punished with just 12 minutes on the clock.

Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer initially appeared to have rescued his side by producing a stunning save to repel Roland Sallai’s close-range header before touching the same player’s subsequent overhead kick on to the crossbar.

But the Bavarians failed to fully clear the danger and Gunter, whose season has been severely disrupted by two broken arms, emphatically capitalised by lashing a left-footed drive into the bottom right corner from the edge of the 18-yard area.

With England captain Kane struggling to make an impact, the away side were fortunate not to fall further behind.

Neuer denied Gunter his second from a tight angle before Vincenzo Grifo flashed narrowly wide.

After Thomas Muller and Kane each had penalty appeals waved away, Bayern were rewarded for a period of dominance with a spectacular 35th-minute equaliser.

France Under-21 international Tel did the damage, marking his first Bundesliga start of the season by delightfully curling home from the left corner of Freiburg’s penalty box following a partially-cleared corner.

Bayern could have led at the break as Musiala’s close-range poke was blocked by home keeper Noah Atubolu after Leon Goretzka and Raphael Guerreiro threatened.

Kane dragged a left-footed effort wide early in the second period before later seeing a header cleared off the line after Musiala wasted a golden chance.

Musiala soon made amends with a moment of magic, cutting in from the left and dancing beyond Kiliann Sildillia and Maximilian Eggestein to curl into the far corner.

The fine solo strike looked to be enough for victory but the visitors paid a heavy price for failing to kill off the contest when Holer fired home on the turn following a long throw into the box.

Bayern move on to the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Lazio looking to overturn a 1-0 aggregate deficit, while Freiburg prepare to begin their Europa League knockout tie with West Ham.

Eric Dier has triggered an option to make his move to Bayern Munich permanent this summer, the PA news agency understands.

Tottenham defender Dier joined Bayern in January on an initial loan deal until the end of the season for a fee in the region of 4million euros.

With Dier’s Spurs contract set to expire on June 30, an option to make his transfer to the Bundesliga champions permanent if he made a certain number of appearances was included in the deal.

Dier has played six times for Thomas Tuchel’s team, which includes four starts, and has now triggered a new 12-month contract to keep him at Bayern until the summer of 2025.

It will officially bring to an end Dier’s time at Tottenham, where he made 365 appearances during a nine-and-a-half-year spell with the Premier League club before he followed England team-mate Harry Kane to Munich.

Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel wants to build on his side’s last-gasp win over Leipzig when they travel to Freiburg on Friday.

Harry Kane’s stoppage-time winner last Sunday ended Bayern’s run of three straight defeats in all competitions.

“It’s been a good week,” Tuchel told a press conference. “A win always helps everyone, particularly a last-minute win. It’s given us confidence and a positive general feeling.

“We’ve had a good week, the messaging hasn’t changed much. We’re carrying on. Tomorrow it’s about being ready. The focus is more than ever on the here and now.”

Bayern remain eight points adrift of Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen so their season probably hinges on overturning a 1-0 deficit against Lazio in the second leg of their Champions League meeting on Tuesday.

But Tuchel insisted: “The match takes place before Lazio. It’s a completely different match.

“The best preparation for one match is a successful performance. We have to take it up a notch. We managed a little uptick against Leipzig, which has given us energy.

“I’m confident we’ll win tomorrow, but it’ll only happen with full focus. It’s always difficult in Freiburg.

“They’re very flexible, very variable and do a lot of running. They carry the ball well down the right with (Ritsu) Doan. (Vincenzo) Grifo on the left tries to be a threat with crosses from deep.

“They also use long balls with up to seven attacking players. We need answers and that’s what we’ll prepare the team for. It’s always passionate in Freiburg, too.”

Tuchel will hand a late fitness test to former Manchester City winger Leroy Sane.

“Leroy always wants to play,” he said. “He’s someone who can tolerate pain extremely well. He’s felt something in the last few weeks.

“Maybe he’s been grinning and bearing it a bit too much. I get the impression he’s not completely free. He has a lot of aches and pains and is paying a bit of a price for the overload.

“We need to find the best solution for tomorrow. He’s doing an individual test now. If he can, we’ll take him into the final training session.

“We’ll see if he can make the squad tomorrow and perhaps help us from the bench. We have to look from day to day.”

Matthijs de Ligt is suspended in Freiburg so Minjae Kim will come into the side.

“Serge Gnabry is back in training but it’s too early to take him,” added Tuchel.

“Alphonso Davies is also back in training, he’ll be in the squad. Kingsley Coman, Sacha Boey and Noussair Mazraoui aren’t available.”

What the papers say

Big changes could be in the pipeline at Chelsea on and off the pitch this summer, according to various reports. The Daily Mail says Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim is a possible replacement for manager Mauricio Pochettino.

On the field, the club are looking to sell defender Trevoh Chalobah, 24, and Albania forward Armando Broja, 22, according to The Daily Telegraph. England midfielder Conor Gallagher, 24, and Spain left-back Marc Cucurella, 25, could also leave in the summer.

Summer changes are also expected at Manchester United. The Manchester Evening News says Brazil winger Antony, 24, is among the players they would be prepared to sell.

Victor Osimhen is eyeing a move to the Premier League, according to The Sun. Arsenal and Chelsea are believed to be heading the race for the Napoli striker, 25, although Manchester United and Paris St Germain are also reportedly  interested.

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Alphonso Davies: Real Madrid have reached agreement to sign the Bayern Munich and Canada left-back, 23, in the summer or next year, according to The Athletic.

Joao Palhinha: Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Arsenal are chasing the Fulham and Portugal midfielder, 28, reports Football Insider.

Bayern Munich have confirmed the appointment of former RB Leipzig sporting director Max Eberl to the club’s board.

The 50-year-old – who came through the Bayern youth ranks and made one senior appearance – will start his new role with the Bundesliga champions on March 1 and has signed a contract until June 2027.

Former Germany Under-21 defender Eberl went on to have spells at Bochum and Greuther Furth before signing with Borussia Monchengladbach, where he later moved into coaching and then became director of sport.

Eberl moved to a similar position at RB Leipzig in December 2022, but was relieved of his duties at the club just nine months later.

“I spent my entire childhood and youth at FC Bayern and in Munich, so it’s something special for me to return in a new role to the club where it all began,” Eberl said on the Bayern Munich website.

“The job as board member for sport is a great challenge, which I will approach with a lot of respect and humility, but with even more anticipation.

“Together with everyone here, I want to do everything I can to ensure that FC Bayern continues to be successful in the future and brings joy to its fans.”

Bayern announced the club’s executive board would consist of three positions from July 1 – a chief executive, a chief financial and sales officer as well as a board member for sport, which will be Eberl’s role.

Harry Kane struck a stoppage-time winner as Bayern Munich beat RB Leipzig 2-1 to lift the gloom around the Allianz Arena.

It looked as though Benjamin Sesko’s deflected 70th-minute strike, cancelling out Kane’s first goal of the evening, would be enough to earn the visitors a point but the England captain popped up in the first minute of time added on to earn a much-needed victory.

The gap to Bayer Leverkusen remains a daunting eight points but, in the first match since Thomas Tuchel announced he would step down at the end of the season and coming off three straight defeats, Bayern needed this one, as was apparent by the relief shown in their celebrations.

Bayern could and perhaps should have been ahead in only the fifth minute. Raphael Guerrero dinked a cross in for Kane, but Janis Blaswich was down smartly, pushing his header against a post before gathering at the second attempt.

Bayern would come to rue that missed opportunity as creating others against a well-organised Leipzig side, defending in numbers and relying solely on counters to provide their own threat, proved difficult.

Just before the break, Thomas Muller headed down a free-kick for Kane, but his ambitious overhead kick lacked the power to worry Blaswich.

The contest improved in the second half as both sides stepped up their attacking intent.

Leipzig were the first to seriously threaten in the 53rd minute when Xavi Simons’ corner found Mohamed Simakan in space near the edge of the box, but his shot across goal went just the wrong side of the post.

Three minutes later, Bayern were ahead. Jamal Musiala slipped the ball through for Kane just inside the area and his first-time shot had the power to beat Blaswich.

Sesko soon had a chance to level as he broke into the box, but Manuel Neuer was quickly off his line to deny him.

However, there was nothing the Bayern goalkeeper could do soon after as the young Slovenia striker got the equaliser.

Neuer may well have had his shot from the edge of the box covered, but Leon Goretzka lunged in to try to block the ball, and a nick off the end of his boot sent it beyond the goalkeeper.

But there was a final twist to come in stoppage time as Eric Choupo-Moting lifted the ball into the box and Kane fired in his 27th goal of the season to earn the win.

Thomas Tuchel insists he will give everything to Bayern Munich ahead of his departure in the summer and hopes the decision over his future allows the team to play with “freedom”.

Tuchel has been unable to arrest a downturn in form, and speculation over his position came to a head this week when the club announced he would be leaving at the end of the current campaign.

Saturday’s game against RB Leipzig will be his first in charge since the news became public, with Bayern looking to end a three-game losing streak following losses to title rivals Bayer Leverkusen, Lazio and Bochum.

And while there is a possibility Tuchel could be seen as a lame duck coach over the coming months, he thinks the removal of uncertainty over his role could spark an upturn.

“I view it professionally and unemotionally. It’s a professional sport at the highest level,” he said of his shortened reign.

“There aren’t guilty individuals. I don’t think I’m the only problem, but I have responsibility. Now we have a new situation, it’s resolved, which hopefully makes it clear and brings freedom.

“This job only works if I give 100 per cent of myself. I have a very high professional expectation of myself and that’s completely dedicated to Bayern Munich until the end of the season. We have aims: we’re going for the maximum in the league and won’t give up until it’s over. In the Champions League we still have a second leg (against Lazio), so we are playing for maximum success.”

Tuchel resisted the temptation to divert blame away from himself and on to his players, but accepted the performance levels on matchday had been falling consistently short of expectations.

“The management know my analysis, which is also very self-critical. But it’s definitely not an analysis for the public,” he said.

“I’m not personally disappointed in the players. We have high standards, that won’t change. I’ve never had the feeling that there’s a big problem but there is a glaring discrepancy between the way we’re training and the way we’re playing. We’ve trained at a good level but that’s no guarantee that we’ll produce a good performance.”

Injuries have upset Bayern’s rhythm this term and they continue to be stretched, with Dayot Upamecano suspended and an injury list that contains Kingsley Coman, Sacha Boey, Noussair Mazraoui, Bouna Sarr, Serge Gnabry and Alphonso Davies.

Leipzig have proved tricky opponents in recent times, taking two draws and two wins from their last four games against Bayern.

Dani Olmo bagged a hat-trick when his side romped to a 3-0 win in the Super Cup final last August, a memory that still burns bright with the Spaniard.

“I would say it was a perfect game from all of us and for me individually to score three goals in Munich, in the Allianz, and to be able to win a trophy,” he said.

“It was for sure one of my best performances but we have to keep going because football never stops and now we have another chance. Bayern is always the opponent that motivates us. It’s always special.”

Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso has insisted there is “nothing new to say” regarding fresh speculation over his future.

Alonso has been heavily linked with the Liverpool job since Jurgen Klopp announced last month he would step down at the end of the campaign, but the Premier League club now face competition from Bayern Munich.

It was revealed on Wednesday that current Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel will leave his position at the conclusion of the season – increasing the scrutiny on Alonso.

The former Liverpool and Bayern midfielder has enjoyed an excellent campaign in charge of Leverkusen, establishing an eight-point lead at the Bundesliga summit and guiding them through to the last 16 of the Europa League ahead of Friday’s league visit of Mainz.

Alonso faced the media on Thursday and started his press conference by shutting down speculation over his future.

“Maybe you have some questions about my future, but I’m sorry, I have nothing new to say. I wanted to say that beforehand,” he told a press conference, via Bild.

“Right now I’m the (Leverkusen) coach. That’s for sure. I have nothing new to say for the future. We will see. It’s normal that there are questions, but it’s off topic now. Now is not the time for me to talk much about it.”

Asked if Bayern had contacted him since the Tuchel announcement, Alonso replied: “I understand the question, but I have to say again that I have nothing new to say. It’s just hypothetical.”

 

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The 42-year-old also insisted it had been a normal week for his squad and claimed he was currently preparing to be Leverkusen boss next season given his contract runs until 2026.

He said: “I’m assuming that right now.

“This week was normal. It was quiet for us. We had three training sessions. That is normal.

“I know that it is my goal, it is my job, to be successful with the team. This is my work. We are in a very good situation right now. We want to continue like this. That’s enough for me.”

Bayern Munich have announced that head coach Thomas Tuchel will leave the club at the end of the season.

Tuchel’s position has come under scrutiny following a woeful run of results that has left the Bundesliga champions facing the prospect of a first season without winning a trophy since 2011-12.

Bayern chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen told the club website: “In an open, good conversation we came to the decision to mutually end our collaboration in the summer. Our goal is to carry out a sporting realignment with a new coach for the 2024/25 season.

Former Chelsea boss Tuchel, who took over in March 2023, said: “We have agreed that we will end our collaboration after this season. Until then, I and my coaching team will of course continue to do everything we can to ensure maximum success.”

Bayern Munich’s shock defeat to Bochum on Sunday means they have lost three games in a row for the first time since 2015.

England captain Harry Kane’s late goal was not enough to avoid a 3-2 defeat, with Kevin Stoger’s penalty proving decisive.

That followed their 3-0 setback at title rivals Bayer Leverkusen, who now lead the Bundesliga by eight points, and 1-0 Champions League first-leg loss to Lazio.

Coach Thomas Tuchel insisted the Bochum result was “not deserved” after an improved performance but the losing run is the worst, excluding friendlies, since May 2015.

Pep Guardiola’s side on that occasion suffered through a very similar run starting with a 2-0 league defeat to Leverkusen.

Again a Champions League defeat followed – 3-0 to Barcelona in the semi-final first leg, with two late goals from Lionel Messi and one from Neymar – and they then suffered a Bundesliga shock against Augsburg.

Possibly the more appropriate post-match quote came from midfielder Leon Goretzka, who told the club’s website: “It feels like a horror film that doesn’t stop. Everything is going against us.”

The central protagonist in that storyline is defender Dayot Upamecano – remarkably, he has been sent off for conceding the penalties that led to the winning goals for both Lazio and Bochum.

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