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ENTERTAINMENT and ADVENTURE => Sports Watch => Topic started by: Folami David on May 23, 2013, 10:41 AM

Title: Robben Dogged By Finals Hoodoo
Post by: Folami David on May 23, 2013, 10:41 AM
Despite having won league titles in four countries, Arjen Robben knows that Saturday's Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund may represent his last chance to prove he is not one of football's nearly men.
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The 29-year-old Bayern Munich winger lacks neither silverware nor ability, but the recent stages of his career have been scarred by a series of traumatic missed opportunities.
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In the past four years, Robben has played in two Champions League finals and one World Cup final, only to finish on the losing side on all three occasions.
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Bearing down on goal in the 60th minute of the 2010 World Cup final in Johannesburg, he had a chance to engrave his name in Dutch football folklore, but his former Real Madrid teammate Iker Casillas saved his shot, and Spain prevailed 1-0 in extra time.
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Last season, he stood over a penalty that would have put Bayern 2-1 up in the Champions League final against his former club Chelsea, but Petr Cech repelled his spot-kick, and the trophy went to Stamford Bridge.
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It means that one of the most exciting players of his generation could end his career without any continental or international honours, but Robben hopes it will be third time lucky for Bayern at Wembley.
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"It is nice to play in a final, but now we also have to win one," he said. "Last year was a huge disappointment. Now we have improved again."
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A slight, willowy winger described as a "tiny boy" by his coaches at local club Groningen, Robben rose to European prominence at PSV Eindhoven, with whom he won the 2002-03 Eredivisie title.
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In 2004, newly rich Chelsea won a bidding war with Manchester United to secure his services in a transfer worth £12 million.
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Despite early signs of the niggling injury problems that have bedevilled him throughout his career, he became a key figure in the confident, counter- attacking team that won back-to-back Premier League titles under Jose Mourinho.
Title: Re: Robben Dogged By Finals Hoodoo
Post by: Shola Sholaz on May 23, 2013, 11:06 AM
It would be very bad if Bayern Munich lose that game but something in me tells me Dortmund would come out victorious.