Robben joins Dutch squad but won’t play against Denmark
June 13th, 2010 - 3:06 am ICT by IANS
Johannesburg, June 13 (DPA) Arjen Robben joined the Dutch soccer World Cup squad in South Africa Saturday after recovering from a hamstring injury.
But coach Bert van Marwijk reiterated that he did not want to take risks with the classy Bayern Munich winger and would not be fielding him Monday against Denmark.
He did not want to say exactly when Robben would play, with the other Dutch group games June 19 against Japan and June 24 against Cameroon.
“We’re going to take it easy with him,” van Marwijk told broadcaster NOS. “He has just trained once and played for 40 minutes in the last three weeks”.
Robben, 26, underwent five days of intensive treatment with his physiotherapist, Dick van Toorn, after limping out of a tune-up match against Hungary Saturday which left his World Cup participation in serious doubt.
He had final tests Friday and left that day for South Africa.
“It wasn’t easy. I had a love-hate relationship with Dick. But I knew what I was torturing myself for,” Robben said Friday evening in Amsterdam before departing for South Africa.
“My condition won’t be a problem. I’ll mainly have to get acclimated to the altitude in Johannesburg,” the Dutch daily De Telegraaf quoted him as saying.
- Robben set to fly to World Cup after final check-up - Jun 11, 2010
- Robben targets weekend World Cup departure; coach cautious - Jun 08, 2010
- Robben upbeat to play at World Cup - Jun 07, 2010
- Danish Dynamite meets Dutch Power - Jun 13, 2010
- Robben back in training but unlikely to play against Japan - Jun 18, 2010
- Pieters to miss Euro 2012 due to foot injury - May 08, 2012
- Will Van Persie find scoring touch in World Cup final? - Jul 07, 2010
- Netherlands wary of German challenge in Euro 2012 - Dec 03, 2011
- Netherlands ambitious despite debate over poor play - Jun 20, 2010
- Dutch beat Cameroon and top Group F - Jun 25, 2010
- Cameroon play for pride against advancing Dutch - Jun 23, 2010
- Van Nistelrooy has a World Cup chance: the Netherlands coach - Apr 06, 2010
- Netherlands romp soured by Robben's injury - Jun 06, 2010
- Dutch delight in boring Bert - Jun 17, 2010
- Dutch masters take on Brazil's artists for semi-final place - Jun 30, 2010
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