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Kane hits hat trick as Bayern thump Leipzig in Bundesliga opener / Photo: © AFP
Kane hits hat trick as Bayern thump Leipzig in Bundesliga opener
Harry Kane hit a hat-trick, Michael Olise a double and newcomer Luis Diaz also scored as Bayern Munich thumped RB Leipzig 6-0 at home in the Bundesliga season opener on Friday.
Bayern's big-money arrivals, all brought in from the Premier League across the past three seasons, were dominant as the Bavarians begun their title defence in style.
Olise scored twice in the first half, either side of a Diaz strike, as Bayern went in to halftime three goals up.
Not to be outdone, Kane scored three goals in the second half, bringing Bayern's total to 6-0.
The 32-year-old England captain has seven Bundesliga hat-tricks since joining Bayern from Spurs in the summer of 2023.
Kane was subbed off to rapturous applause with four minutes remaining as the defending German champions, winners of 12 of the past 13 Bundesliga titles, sounded a warning on the opening day of the competition.
The defeat showed Leipzig have a long way to go to challenge for the top spots after their first summer transfer window under Jurgen Klopp, who took over as Red Bull global head of football in January.
Bayern were under pressure before the season opener after losing several forward players in the summer transfer window.
Talisman Kane told reporters it was "probably one of the smallest squads I've ever played in," after losing forwards Kingsley Coman, Leroy Sane, Thomas Mueller and Mathys Tel.
Diaz became the third player in as many seasons to join on big money from England after Kane and Olise, leaving Liverpool for Bavaria.
Olise continued his stunning start to life in Germany from last season, smashing in the opener after 27 minutes.
Diaz then arrived at the party, scoring Bayern's second five minutes later, hammering the ball in off the crossbar from a Serge Gnabry assist.
With Leipzig reeling, Olise added a second three minutes before halftime, collecting a delicate pass from Gnabry before coolly wrong-footing the goalkeeper.
Sniffing blood, Kane scored Bayern's fourth with 64 minutes played, turning in a Diaz assist.
After a Leipzig strike by Antonio Nusa was ruled out -- VAR showed visiting centre-back Castello Lukeba had taken a free kick at the other end of the pitch with the ball still rolling -- Kane added two more.
The England captain scored in the 74th and 78th minute.
On Saturday, last season's runners-up Bayer Leverkusen host Hoffenheim while Borussia Dortmund play away at St Pauli.
A. Bogdanow--BTZ
