Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane revealed England team-mate and Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham tried to upset his penalty routine before taking a crucial spot-kick in Tuesday's 2-2 Champions League semi-final draw.
With England captain Kane standing over the penalty spot, Bellingham walked up to him and whispered in his ear.
Kane scored the penalty, sending goalkeeper Andriy Lunin the wrong way, to give Bayern a 2-1 lead, with a late spot-kick from Vinicius Junior levelling the scores.
"In the moment I didn't know what he said. I spoke to him afterwards and he said he told me 'I know you're going to go left’.
Ignorance is bliss
"He was trying to tell the ‘keeper.
"On the pitch I didn't know (what he said). I knew he was there, but I just kind of didn't know what he said.”
Kane, who did send the ball left, said he "saw the 'keeper go a bit early and I was able to put it away.
"Obviously the penalty was nice for me.”
The 30-year-old, who is still yet to claim a piece of team silverware despite a glittering individual career, said the team was primed for next week.
"It's amazing. We'll play Real Madrid in the semi-final of the Champions League. This is the experience I came here for and to have this opportunity is something I am really excited about.
"It's 0-0. There's one game to take you to Wembley. We've got a great opportunity here.”
‘We deserved to win’
Bayern captain Manuel Neuer told reporters: "It's good. We still have everything in our hands.
"We would have liked to have won. Looking at the run of the match, we deserved to leave the field as winners.
"We will concentrate on the return game. The winner will go to the final.
"Quite a few teams would like to trade places with us.”
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel, who eliminated Real Madrid in the semi-finals on his way to winning the tournament as Chelsea coach in 2021, said of next week's match: "The winner takes it all.”
"It's possible. It's one of the most complicated places to win a match. The goal is clear. We need to be courageous, confident and clinical."
AFP