20/03/2026

SPORTS FRIDAY | MAR 20, 2026 28 Fifty up for Kane … as Bayern swat aside Atalanta to set up Real clash H ARRY KANE scored in each half as Bayern Munich thumped Atalanta 4-1 at home in the Champions League last 16 yesterday, winning 10-2 on aggregate to book a quarterfinal date with Real Madrid. confidence from this game and the season so far, we just need to keep doing what we’re doing. “Whenever you play Real Madrid in the Champions League, you have to expect a tough opposition, you have to be ready for a fight,” Kane said. “You have to be ready to try and play in a certain way, and we’ll be ready for that.”

Captaining Bayern in the Champions League for the first time, Kane converted a penalty with 25 minutes played and added another goal early in the second half, bringing his career Champions League tally to 50 in 66 games. Lennart Karl and Luis Diaz

Starting for the first time since last month, Kane looked sharp, shrugging off the attention of four Atalanta defenders and blasting into the top corner on the turn for his second goal. Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said he “could not explain” Kane’s bril liant strike, gushing: “I’m so happy when he scores the simple goals, but when he does that, it’s unique. He’s come back fresh and you can see how important he is for us.” Bayern last faced Real in the semifi nals of the 2023/24 competition, crash ing out to two Joselu goals in the dying

also got on the scoresheet for the hosts as Bayern again steamrolled the visitors, who picked up a late consolation through Lazar Samardzic. “I think whenever you have a lead like we did, some times it’s easy to be a little bit complacent,” Kane, who missed the first leg with an injury, told DAZN . “But we said

minutes. Bayern have not beaten the Spanish giants since the 2011-12 semifinals. “Both clubs are giant,” Kompany said. “Who’s the best right now isn’t impor tant – the history of both clubs is huge. “It’ll be very special.

before the game we want to win in the same style that we did in the first leg. It’s some times harder to get up for a game like this, but we were there from minute one to minute 95.” The England skipper, who sat on the bench in the first leg, said Bayern had nothing to fear in taking on Madrid in the last eight. “We don’t fear anyone … We know it’ll be tough, but with the

Honestly speaking, with Madrid, when the level goes higher, then they get better. That’s why I’m expecting an absolute top game. “It’ll be good

Bayern’s Harry Kane celebrates scoring their second goal during the Champions League match against Atalanta yesterday. – REUTERSPIC

for the fans – the neutral fans as well – but at the end we want to win.” – AFP

Carrick backs United trio for England duty Ű BY SIMON PEACH

more than you on that one … but the boys are definitely playing well enough to warrant a place, for sure. It’s just not my decision so we’ll have to wait and see.” Tuchel said omissions of United players were merely an “individual decision” back in August, when he reiterated “there is for sure no decision against Man United”. Mainoo’s absence was particularly under standable given he did not make a Premier League start in the first half of the season, but he has been a key figure under Carrick. “Of course he can always improve, and on a lot of things, just the age he’s at just for starters,” Carrick said ahead of tomorrow’s (4am malaysian time) trip to Bournemouth. “There’s so much more to come and develop, and that’s just natural. That’s not a negative on Kobbie, by any stretch. That’s just the stage he’s at in his career. Hopefully he has got a lot of layers to improve and keep developing on that. I think he’s done really well. “You know, not having a lot of football for a period of time, to come in and play a run of games and find your rhythm, I think he did that really quickly.” Lisandro Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt and Patrick Dorgu are out of third-placed United’s trip to the south coast but Noussair Mazraoui is expected to be available despite missing training on Wednesday though illness. – The Independent

MANCHESTER UNITED boss Michael Carrick would love to see Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo handed England recalls when Thomas Tuchel makes his final selec tion before naming his World Cup squad. The German has not picked anybody play ing for the Red Devils – a club with whom he was in talks to succeed Erik ten Hag in mid 2024 – since succeeding Sir Gareth Southgate at the start of last year. Maguire is a veteran of three major tour naments with England and won the last of his 64 caps 18 months ago, which is also when Mainoo made the most recent of his 10 inter national appearances. The 20-year-old started the Euro 2024 final with United teammate Shaw, who is another hoping to be included today when Tuchel names his group for March’s friendlies against Uruguay and Japan. United head coach and former England midfielder Carrick said: “I haven’t been in touch (with Tuchel), no. For the boys, I’d love to see them picked for this one and obviously picked for the summer. “I don’t have any influence on that but cer tainly the boys, the way they’re playing, I think they’ve put themselves right in the con versation and right in the picture and given themselves a chance. “So, we’ll see. I literally don’t know any