Bayern Munich delivered a commanding performance at the Allianz Arena, dismantling Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 in a pre-season friendly.
The Bundesliga champions, led by coach Vincent Kompany, thrilled a packed crowd with a blend of experience and emerging talent, handing the Europa League winners a sobering defeat.
The action ignited early as Michael Olise’s seventh-minute free-kick curled just wide, signaling Bayern’s intent. Moments later, Leon Goretzka nearly broke through after a clever pass from Joshua Kimmich, though his effort veered off target and a tight offside call spared Tottenham.
Bayern’s breakthrough arrived in the 12th minute when Harry Kane, facing his former club, latched onto Olise’s pinpoint long ball. The England captain controlled it expertly and lashed a low shot past Guglielmo Vicario into the bottom-left corner. “It was a really good performance. We were very dominant from start to finish,” Kane said after the match, praising his side’s intensity.
Just three minutes later, Bayern had a chance to double their lead when Joao Palhinha, on loan from Bayern and making his Spurs debut, fouled Josip Stanisic in the box. Kane stepped up for the penalty but slipped, sending the ball soaring over the bar, a rare miss for the usually clinical striker.
The first half saw Bayern maintain pressure, with Goretzka firing off a couple of snapshots and Micky van de Ven’s resolute defending keeping Spurs in the game. Richarlison tested Manuel Neuer, but the Bayern goalkeeper stood firm.
After the break, Bayern’s dominance continued. Kane and Olise linked up brilliantly on 50 minutes, only for the crossbar to deny them. Vicario then produced a stunning save to thwart Olise’s curling effort, but Spurs’ resistance crumbled soon after.
On the hour mark, Konrad Laimer won possession and fed Kingsley Coman, who cut inside and curled a sublime shot into the top-left corner.
Kompany introduced a wave of substitutes with just over 20 minutes remaining, including Kim Min-jae, Raphael Guerreiro, and young prospects Lennart Karl and Jonah Kusi-Asare.
The move paid dividends as 17-year-old Karl announced himself with a stunning strike from the edge of the box, set up by Luis Diaz’s dazzling run. “The lads showed a willingness to run,” Kompany said, highlighting the mental readiness of his squad despite limited preparation time.
Kusi-Asare, 18, capped the night with a breathtaking long-range effort from a tight angle, sealing Bayern’s emphatic victory.
Kane praised the youngsters, saying, “They were great finishes from Lenny and Kusi. All the boys that played have been training really well”. Olise, who orchestrated much of Bayern’s attacking play, reflected on his role, noting the team’s cohesion on social media: “Great team performance today! Onto the next”.
For Tottenham, the defeat marked their first under new head coach Thomas Frank, exposing a lack of cutting edge. With the UEFA Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain looming on August 13, Spurs face a tough challenge to regroup.
Bayern, meanwhile, head to their final friendly against Grasshopper Zurich before the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup on 16 August against VfB Stuttgart, brimming with confidence after this statement win.
However, injuries to key players like Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies remain a concern for Bayern, while Spurs confirmed James Maddison’s ACL surgery, ruling him out for much of the 2025/26 campaign.
