05/04/25 03:14:00
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05/04 15:13 CDT Harry Kane finally wins his first career title as Bayern Munich
becomes Bundesliga champion
Harry Kane finally wins his first career title as Bayern Munich becomes
Bundesliga champion
By CIARAN FAHEY
AP Sports Writer
BERLIN (AP) --- The "curse" has been lifted.
Harry Kane can finally celebrate his first career title after Bayern Munich
became Bundesliga champion with a little help from Freiburg on Sunday.
Freiburg drew with second-placed Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 to leave Bayern an
unassailable eight points clear of the 2024 champion with two rounds of the
German league remaining.
The 31-year-old Kane had never won a title in a career of runner-up finishes
and defeats in finals with Bayern, Tottenham and England, leading some to speak
of a "curse" against a player considered one of the world's best forwards.
Kane's arrival as Bayern's record signing in 2023 was followed by the club's
first trophyless season since 2012.
Kane was ready to celebrate Saturday when Bayern looked set to win 3-2 in
Leipzig. But Yussuf Poulsen equalized with the last kick of the game for
Leipzig to draw 3-3 and postpone Bayern's party.
"Next week, Harry!" teammate Thomas Mller wrote on Instagram.
He didn't have to wait that long.
Leverkusen played without conviction in Freiburg, knowing that second place was
already secured and that it only had a mathematical chance of defending its
title with Bayern having a far superior goal difference.
Maximilian Eggestein fired the home team ahead before the break and an own-goal
from Piero Hincapie after it put Freiburg firmly in control.
Leverkusen had to wait till the 82nd minute for Florian Wirtz to pull one back
with his team's first shot on target. Jonathan Tah equalized with the next in
stoppage time, but it made no difference for the new league champion.
"We are the champions!" Kane sang with teammates in a Munich restaurant, where
he and Joshua Kimmich were doused in beer or champagne as they sang Bob
Marley's "Three Little Birds."
It's Bayern's record-extending 34th German championship including the first for
the club in 1932. Every other title came after the Bundesliga's formation in
1963.
Bayern will be presented with the trophy after its home game against Borussia
Mnchengladbach next weekend, when Mller will be given what's sure to be an
emotional send-off after 25 years at the club.
"He's going as a legend," Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said of Mller's 13
Bundesliga titles.
Champions League fight heats up
Freiburg's draw kept it fourth in the final place for Champions League
qualification, just a point ahead of a resurgent Borussia Dortmund and two
ahead of Leipzig.
Third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt stayed four points clear of Freiburg with a
1-1 draw at Mainz in the late game.
Only the top four teams qualify for Europe's premier club competition.
Earlier, Holstein Kiel boosted its hopes of avoiding the drop with a 3-1 win at
Augsburg. It moved Kiel one point behind Heidenheim, which occupies the
relegation playoff place. Kiel next plays Freiburg, then Dortmund.
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