ARJEN ROBBEN

Netherlands international Frenkie de Jong has insisted that Barcelona did not play well during the recent friendly against Arsenal. The Blaugrana found themselves 1-0 behind after the first period of the Joan Gamper trophy but they managed to seal a comeback win after an own goal from Ainsley Maitland-Niles and a late strike from Luis Suarez.

Speaking after the game, De Jong said that the team did not produce the best performance on the night and he did not deserve the MVP award after participating through the opening half of the encounter, he told: “The presentation of the squad and the support from the fans in my debut at Camp Nou was very impressive. We did not play a good match. I believe we must have a better rhythm when circulating the ball and do a better job pressing after losing it. There are differences

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Dutch footballer Arjen Robben has said that Jurgen Klopp is perhaps the head coach he regrets to have not played under. The 35-year-old came against Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund on numerous occasions during his time at Bayern Munich and he has been impressed with the man-management skills of the 52-year-old.

Speaking to France Football, he said: “Maybe Jurgen Klopp, whom I have often faced with Bayern, first against Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga and in the final of the Champions League, then against Liverpool this season in the round of 16. He is a special coach who knows how to connect with his players. The results plead in his favour, whether at BVB or with the Reds. Besides, he looks like a good guy.”

After leaving Dortmund, Klopp had a rough three-year period with Liverpool, where he did not have the luck on his side. The Reds managed to reach as many as three finals between 2015 and 2018, but on each occasion, they were on the wrong end including the 2018 Champions League final against Real Madrid.

Nonetheless, he was able to eventually redeem himself during the previous campaign whereby the Reds secure the Champions League crown. The Merseyside outfit were by far the best team throughout the knockout phase and they eventually secured their sixth Champions League title while ending a seven-year wait for a trophy.

Meanwhile, Robben is currently on the search for a new club after ending his long-term association with Bayern. The Dutchman has stressed that he is not thinking of retirement at the moment and reports have emerged that he could make a return to the Eredivisie with former club PSV Eindhoven. The club are managed by former Dutch star Mark van Bommel, who has openly suggested that Robben is welcome to make a comeback.

Netherlands international Arjen Robben has said that he is hopeful of featuring for Bayern Munich during the final stage of the campaign. The Dutchman has been sidelined for the past five months with a recurring calf problem, but he has returned to first-team training ahead of the closing stages of the season.

Speaking in a press conference, Robben remained optimistic of playing some role for the club during the remaining weeks before pursuing a fresh challenge elsewhere, he said: “I’ll be happy if I can stay with the team for another one or two weeks and get a few minutes under my belt in games as well. That would be wonderful. So many people have said to me that they want to see me on the pitch one more time. Obviously that’s also what I want more than anything. I’d like to be fit and healthy when I say goodbye – preferably with another two titles. We still have some work to do and perhaps I can play a part in that.”
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Bayern have confirmed the signing of Lucas Hernandez from Atletico Madrid for a club-record fee of £68m. The France international had been touted to make the switch to the Bavarian giants over the past few months and it has not been officially confirmed that he will be joining the club during the summer transfer window.

Speaking to the club’s official website, Hernandez said: “This is a really important day in my footballing career. FC Bayern Munich is one of the best clubs in Europe and the world. I’m proud to be able to fight for all possible titles with Bayern. I’d like to thank Atletico, the management, the coaches, my teammates and the fans for 12 wonderful years. Atletico will always remain a part of me. Now I’m looking forward to taking the next step with FC Bayern.”
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Manchester United legend-turned-pundit Rio Ferdinand has said that England could be up for a period of dominance in European competitions after all four Premier League sides reached the quarter final stage of the Champions League. No English side has managed to win the elite competition since Chelsea managed the feat in 2012, but they have given themselves a strong chance of breaking the drought with the likes of Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain already eliminated.

Speaking on BT Sport, Ferdinand said that the cycle may be turning in England’s favour following a period of dominance from the Spanish sides. He added to point out that Liverpool did not produce their best performance on the night at Bayern Munich but it was the result that eventually mattered on the night, he said: “We mentioned the cycle before the game and it seems like it’s turning in England’s favour.Four teams have come through. No, it wasn’t a great performance from Liverpool. We’ve seen them play better but at this stage, knockout football is not about performing sometimes.”
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Football club Bayern Munich, are lining up a summer swoop fooLOSC Lille forward Nicolas Pepe, as a replacement for the ageing Arjen Robben. Robben who is currently in his 10th season with the Bavarians, and at the age of 35. With the look of things, his playing days at Bayern are now numbered. Having that in mind, the club are now on a scouting mission for a potential replacement for the Dutchman, and a number of names have been flying around.

Their interest in Chelsea youngster Callum Hudson- Odoi was made known to thepublic in January, but after four rebuffed offer, they were unable to secure their target, as Chelsea maintained the 18-year-old wasn’t for sale. Reports have also linked the reigning Bundesliga champions to the signing of Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic, and now a new name has been added to the list. According to media reports, the Munich based club are lining up a bid for Lille forward Pepe following the 23-year- old’s blistering start to the Ligue 1 season.
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Bayern Munich star Arjen Robben has admitted that he is unsure where his future could lie following the end of the ongoing campaign. The Dutch footballer has already confirmed that he would be leaving the Bavarian giants at the expiry of his contract in the summer, thereby completing 10 years with the German champions.

Speaking to Radio 538, Robben has acknowledged that he has yet to decide on his next challenge and that may also involve him hanging up his boots, he said: “I still do not know what I will do. I have to think about everything and I could even stop playing but everything is still up in the air. I do not want to wait too long to make a decision but nor do I want to make a decision without little thinking. The opinion of my family is very important in the choice that I will make.”
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The winger is looking to play on after his time with Bavarians ends this summer but will hang it up if he does not receive the right offer.

Arjen Robben is looking to continue his playing career after leaving Bayern Munich this summer but admits he is willing to retire if “the ideal offer” does not arrive.
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Bayern Munich star Arjen Robben has said that the club cannot talk about titles at the moment as they have simply not been good enough since the start of the season. The Bavarian giants have dominated the Bundesliga with seven-straight league titles and the current campaign sees them struggling with already a nine-point deficit to league leaders Borussia Dortmund.

Amidst this, a number of Bayern players have voiced their disappointment and Robben, who is one of the club’s longest-serving stars admits that the club can focus on titles for the timebeing, he said: “We can’t talk about titles at the moment, because we simply aren’t good enough for that. I’m in my tenth season at Bayern and don’t know if I’ve ever experienced it like this before: every day, something new comes out. It’s not about soccer anymore, but only about secondary things.”
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Arjen Robben reckons it’s not appropriate for Bayern Munich to talk about the Bundesliga title at the moment because they have just not played well enough to earn a right to talk. They would have had that right if they were at the top of the table, but currently they are not.

Munich, at this stage, is placed at no. 5 in the standings which is quite unfamiliar to them because they are so used to being at the top. They have been the champions of the German top tier for the previous six seasons on the bounce. Read more »