Harry Kane discusses his new ‘super sub’ position in the Bundesliga, saying, “It’s not something I’m accustomed to.”

A quick glance at the scoresheet from Bayern Munich’s recent Bundesliga match would suggest all is well: the German champions secured a convincing 0-5 victory over VfB Stuttgart. England striker Harry Kane netted another hat trick. However, things were not entirely typical as all three of Kane's goals came from the bench.

In a bold decision similar to his previous approach against Bayer Leverkusen, FCB head coach Vincent Kompany rotated the squad to rest key players for the upcoming Champions League fixture. Kane started on the bench while Nicolas Jackson led the line in Kompany’s 4-2-3-1 formation.

Kompany’s choice to start without his star player in two league matches against top-four contenders highlights the strength of this year's Bayern team. In both occasions, Bayern showcased dominance and successfully shut out teams that were expected to pose a real challenge.

Kompany explained his roster management, reiterating his belief in his squad. He acknowledged the contributions of the rest of the team, stating how “the other players tired out the opponent and paved the way for Harry” in an interview with German broadcaster DAZN.

What does Harry Kane say of this?

The term “joker” in German football, once reserved for players introduced later in matches to act as game-changers, does not accurately describe Kane’s role. The 32-year-old has started all three cup matches and all five Champions League games for Bayern.

This recent match and the earlier encounter against Leverkusen are the only two instances where Kane began as a substitute. As Bayern continues its strong campaign in the Bundesliga, more such instances may occur as they balance other tournaments.

“It’s something I’m obviously not quite used to,” Kane remarked to Sky Germany, adding, “but my teammates put in a lot of great work [ahead of my hat-trick].“

GGFN | Peter Weis