For Bayern Munich, this was the ideal opening to a Champions League campaign: sharp, controlled and eventually overwhelming. For Harry Kane, it was another reminder that his European scoring rate belongs in rare company. His headed finish in the first half of a 5-0 win over Bodo/Glimt took him to 55 Champions League goals in 71 appearances, the third-fastest route to that total.
Bodo/Glimt resisted for a while, especially before the break, but Bayern's quality kept telling. The match shifted from a contest into a demonstration once the Bundesliga side began to find space more regularly in advanced areas. By the end, the scoreline reflected not just superiority, but the kind of depth and control Bayern need if they are to build on last season's run to the semi-finals.
Kane's goal carried its own significance. A free-kick delivery met his header, and the finish brought up his 34th European goal in 39 games for Bayern, a remarkable return for a player who has managed to keep producing across different stages of his career. Bayern also reached a small but notable milestone of their own, scoring their 900th goal in Europe's premier club competition during the same match.
There was more than one storyline inside the win. This was Vincent Kompany's side opening the league phase with authority, but it was also another evening that showed how much Bayern can lean on established end product while integrating new pieces around it. Michael Olise added the fifth goal in stoppage time, giving the result the late gloss it had long seemed likely to earn.
The match also came against a background that made Bayern's momentum feel more meaningful. Jamal Musiala, speaking in August after collapsing twice in a four-day period due to a neurological dysfunction, said, "The feeling I had today is a feeling I haven't had for a while." For Bayern, the challenge now is turning that kind of emotional reset into consistent performance. This was a strong start, but the real value of a 5-0 win is not just the margin. It is the message: Bayern look prepared, Kane looks relentless, and the league phase has barely begun.
