Daniil Medvedev exclusive: Harry Kane ‘a machine’, says long-time Bayern Munich fan

Tennis star Daniil Medvedev has declared Harry Kane as a “machine”, as the long-time Bayern Munich fan – speaking exclusively to Eurosport – assessed how his team might fare in this season’s UEFA Champions League.

Medvedev became a fan of German giants Bayern in childhood, and regularly follows the fortunes of his team while globetrotting with the ATP Tour.

Bayern, of course, have a new striker in their midst this term in the shape of Harry Kane.

“Harry Kane is amazing – in my opinion, he’s playing so good,” Medvedev told Eurosport. “I played fantasy so I saw it already in Tottenham – the guy is a machine.

“The way he controls the game is pretty surprising for someone of his complexion [profile], in a way for football.

“We see playmakers, usually bit smaller guys, and the one that can go with the body. So yeah, he’s a big, big player.”

Bayern face their second leg with Lazio on March 5, and while Medvedev thinks “anyone” can win the tournament, he sees two main threats for the trophy.

“Champions League, we have Real Madrid, Manchester City that are going very strong – they showed it [in their first legs],” he said.

“But I think what is good about Champions League, in my opinion anyone can win it.

“Inter were so close last year to winning it, and now in a way are even kind of in the favourites group – but I think last year after the group stage, they were nowhere close to being the favourites.

“That’s why Champions League is nice, it’s two matches, penalties, in my opinion anyone can win it, so I will just watch it and enjoy.”

Medvedev has previously described how he came to support Bayern so fervently.

“I really fell in love with soccer and with Bayern when I was maybe 12 years old,” he said. “That’s when it really started. But even before that, when I was 6 years old, I remember that I already liked Bayern.

“They were really good at that time and I remember telling my parents that Bayern is playing, we need to watch it. But when I was 12, I really got into soccer, so I said to myself: ‘I need a team now’.

“When I was younger I supported CSKA Moscow, but they were not playing in the Champions League or when they were playing in it, they would often lose.

“So I needed a team in Europe that I could support and be a fan of. So I remembered that I really liked Bayern and said: ‘That’s my team now’.

“That’s how I chose my team, and from that point on obviously, I started to really like certain players of Bayern and it became bigger and bigger for me.”