Why is Harry Kane not starting today for Bayern vs Atalanta in first leg of 2026 UEFA Champions League round of 16?

Bayern Munich begin the Champions League round of 16 without star striker Harry Kane, who will start on the bench against Atalanta. The English forward is coming off a recent calf injury, and the club opted for caution in the first leg.

Kane completed training ahead of the match, but Bayern’s staff determined he was not yet ready to start a high‑intensity knockout fixture. Nicolas Jackson leads the attack once again after his strong showing in Bundesliga play.

Before the match, manager Vincent Kompany explained the decision. “Harry Kane got through training very well today,” he said. “We still have to make a decision about what is best for tomorrow.”

Bayern Munich’s lineup vs Atalanta

Bayern introduce significant rotation for the first leg in Bergamo against Atalanta, with Kompany making six changes from their 4–1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach last weekend. The adjustments aim to manage fitness across a congested schedule while covering for key injuries.

Bayern Munich starting XI: Jonas Urbig; Josip Stanisic, Dayot Upamecano, Jonathan Tah, Konrad Laimer; Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlovic; Michael Olise, Serge Gnabry, Luis Diaz; Nicolas Jackson.

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