Bayern Munich's hopes of reaching the Champions League final were dashed by PSG in a 6-5 aggregate defeat. Harry Kane, despite not playing in the match, continues to grapple with his own Champions League aspirations.
Key points
Bayern Munich lost to PSG in the Champions League semifinals
PSG won 6-5 on aggregate to reach the final
Harry Kane has not yet won the Champions League
Bayern's last final appearance was in 2019/20
PSG avenged their 2020 loss to Bayern Munich
Mentioned in this story
Harry Kane
Bayern MunichParis Saint-Germain
Two clubs, same heartbreak: Harry Kane and the Champions League dream that keeps slipping away
Two clubs, same heartbreak: Harry Kane and the Champions League dream that keeps slipping away
Bayern Munich were denied passage to their first Champions League final since beating Paris Saint-Germain to lift the coveted trophy in 2019/20.
Ironically, their dream of playing in the showpiece in Budapest was derailed by reigning champions PSG, who finally had their vengeance for the 2020 heartbreak in a chaotic 6-5 aggregate victory.
Harry Kane wasnât part of that battle in Lisbon, which makes him collateral damage in this instance. But he has his own long and complicated relationship with footballâs most coveted club trophy.
When the final whistle sounded at Parc des Princes, Kane stood motionless for a moment, staring into the distance as another golden opportunity slipped away.
The England captain scored in the second leg to secure a 1-1 draw, but it wasnât enough, reopening a wound from another era of his career.
Seven years ago, he walked off the pitch in Madrid distraught after Tottenham Hotspurâs 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League final.
Two clubs. Two different stages of his remarkable career. Yet the same crushing feeling of defeat.
The Tottenham dream
Kaneâs Tottenham career was defined by his inability to lead the club to glory. He left the club as a legend, but also with a gnawing feeling of what if.
Q&A
What was the outcome of the Bayern Munich vs PSG Champions League match?
Bayern Munich lost to PSG 6-5 on aggregate, preventing them from reaching the Champions League final.
How did PSG avenge their 2020 Champions League loss to Bayern Munich?
PSG avenged their 2020 loss by defeating Bayern Munich in the semifinals, securing a place in the final.
What is Harry Kane's history with the Champions League?
Harry Kane has a complicated relationship with the Champions League, having yet to win the trophy despite multiple attempts.
When was the last time Bayern Munich reached the Champions League final?
Bayern Munich last reached the Champions League final in the 2019/20 season.
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Tottenhamâs 2019 run to the Champions League final was surreal. Mauricio Pochettino didnât have the financial power of Europeâs elite, but he had Kane.
Kane had scored five goals in nine Champions League games during Tottenhamâs chaotic run to the final.
They got past Pep Guardiolaâs Manchester City in the quarter-final before pulling off one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history against Ajax in the semi-final.
Despite his goal tally, Kane watched most of Tottenhamâs miracle run from the sidelines due to injury.
He was desperate to return for the final and won his race against time. But forcing him onto the pitch ultimately cost Tottenham as he looked out of touch.
Kaneâs dream began to unravel almost immediately as Liverpool won a penalty inside two minutes before going on to secure a comprehensive 2-0 victory.
That night in Madrid felt like Tottenhamâs peak, the closest Kane had come to touching immortality for the club he carried on his back for years.
Tottenham went into that final with the wind in their sails, but they were always viewed as the underdogs punching above their weight.
Kaneâs move to Bayern changed that narrative, but it still wasnât enough to change his story â at least not yet.
A second shot at immortality with Bayern
Kaneâs move to Bayern was a no-brainer. It was a necessary step in his relentless pursuit of legacy, going from an underdog hoping for a miracle to an environment where success is demanded.
As perennial Bundesliga winners, there was never any doubt that Kane would lift his first trophies in a Bayern shirt. He has now done so in back-to-back seasons, adding the DFB Pokal as the icing on the cake.
However, there was a different expectation at Bayern. They wanted to win the Champions League, so the move also promised Kane a shot at redemption.
Not much changed on an individual level. Kane has continued to score at an extraordinary rate.
In his two years at Bayern, Kane has scored 140 goals in 144 games. He already has 55 this season and is on course to win the European Golden Boot.
Winning the Bundesliga in 2025 finally put the âtrophylessâ narrative to bed, allowing him to focus on his Champions League redemption.
Bayern were eliminated in the quarter-final in Kaneâs debut season. But the Bavarians went into the 2025/26 campaign as heavy favourites to go all the way.
First, it was Inter Milan who got in the way of Kaneâs dream. This time, it was a PSG side equally desperate to cement their European legacy.
Another cruel ending to a relentless pursuit of legacy
Bayern and PSG delivered one of the greatest Champions League semi-final contests in the history of the competition. It had everything expected of two European heavyweights.
Goals, tactical battles, and moments of individual brilliance helped turn the tie into a spectacle.
Both teams went for the jugular with some of the best attacking quality on the continent, but PSG prevailed over two enthralling legs of knockout football.
Kane was on target in both games, but his efforts werenât enough.
The image of him breaking down after the final whistle was symbolic of his crumbling under the weight of his own legacy.
The cruel irony of Kaneâs defeat is impossible to ignore. He left Tottenham to compete consistently for the biggest trophies football has to offer.
Bayern gave him that platform, and in many ways, the move has worked a treat, with the England captain now a two-time league champion.
He remains one of the deadliest strikers of his generation. Yet he just cannot seem to clinch the one trophy that could truly define his legacy as one of the greatest strikers of all time.
Kane is approaching the twilight of his career. At 32, even the best players start to decline, so heâs running out of time to win the Champions League.
Bayern will always be contenders, but that doesnât guarantee a clear route to the final. That uncertainty is what gives this latest defeat such an emotional weight.
For Kane, the Champions League continues to be the dream that slips away. It remains to be seen if the gods of football will grant him yet another shot at immortality.
