4 goals in 6 games for Bayern Munich - Has Harry Kane fixed Leroy Sané?

It was a bit of a lucky goal, but luck comes to those who seek it. Leroy Sané broke through on the right and dribbled to the middle; his shot wasn’t placed well, but then André Onana let it slip through his fingers, and Bayern Munich had the lead against Manchester United. It was the first of seven goals in a wild game between the Bundesliga giants and the Red Devils. Ultimately, Bayern would prevail (4-3), and it was to no small thanks to Sané, who, despite being lucky on that goal, was excellent and was voted the man of the match by UEFA. 

"Leroy is one of the best wingers in the world and is currently in very, very good form,” his teammate Jamal Musiala said after the Manchester United game to Sport1 reporter Kerry Hau. I'm happy because he's one of my best friends. It's really fun to play and combine with him." Sané, in fact, loves to score in the UEFA Champions League. The goal against Manchester United was his tenth goal in his last ten Champions League group-stage matches. In fact, Bayern have never lost a game when Sané scored for them in the Champions League. 

Indeed, when Sané joined for €49m from Manchester City after a prolonged transfer saga, there was a sense that the winger could be the missing piece of a new Bayern Munich era. Instead, Sané never managed to match the double digits in goals and assists that he produced for Man City in the Premier League in 2017/18 and 2018/19 (all stats at a glance) in the Bundesliga. But the arrival of Harry Kane for a club-record fee from Tottenham at the Bavarian capital might finally unleash Sané’s full potential. 

2nd in the Bundesliga - Kane and Sané have formed a dynamic duo for Bayern

It might be a bit much to suggest that Kane has fixed Sané because that might suggest that the player was broken in the first place. But an argument can be made that the addition of Kane to the Bayern setup could help Sané reach another level. Perhaps finally fulfill his endless potential and become a true world-class player. Indeed, among attacking duos in the Bundesliga, only Stuttgart’s Serhou Guirassy and Chris Führich have combined for more goals (10) than Kane and Sané (7 goals). 

The most interesting aspect is that with Kane on the field, Sané’s role seems to have changed a bit from being a pure winger to that of an outlet player and target man. Unlike the last two seasons when Bayern played with Robert Lewandowski and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting up front, Kane operates a bit deeper at times. Although still a typical no.9, Kane almost plays like a playmaker at times, which was best observed in Sané’s first of two goals against Werder Bremen on matchday 1 (4-0). Operating in midfield, Kane sprung Sané on a counterattack that opened the scoring for Bayern. 

Sané is currently second in the Bundesliga this season with 23 touches inside the box, just ahead of teammate Kingsley Coman (21). Kane ranks tenth with 15. The stat highlights why Bayern broke their transfer record to sign the English captain. Kane not only guarantees goals but also makes players around him better. The best example is Sané, who, since Kane has joined Bayern, seems to have clicked into a new gear and has not only impressed for his club but also has been excellent for Germany. “Everyone knows his qualities; he’s shown us them here as well,” Sané said when asked about playing together with Kane to UEFA.com. “I hope it continues like that.” 

Homepage