Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben has admitted that Anfield is his least favourite stadium to play at in world football, ahead of their Champions League game with Liverpool there this Tuesday.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Robben admitted he did not like playing on Merseyside at all. He said: “I think if you ask me the worst stadium for me, it’s probably Liverpool. There has to be one! You always have your favourite opponent and there always has to be negative one!”
The winger has had a tough time at Anfield during his career, most famously playing there as Luis Garcia’s ghost goal sent the Reds through to the Champions League final, over Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea. “We’ll never know!” the Dutchman remarked. He also lost the semi-final there in 2007 and a quarter-final with Real Madrid 4-0, when Steven Gerrard was at his peak.
He said: “At that time Liverpool were a very, very strong team. They won the Champions League 2005. They were always tight games, especially in the Champions League.”
However, despite this cup success the Reds finished a giant 37 points behind Robben’s Chelsea in 2005.
“I think at that time they were really capable of being this cup-fighter team, also in the FA Cup or Carling Cup. In one or two games they could really live up to it and perform, just not the whole season, which was maybe too much and they were not constant enough. That was their biggest quality. They were there at the moment they needed to be there.”
Speaking on whether Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool could win the Premier League this year, Robben remarked:
“Now I think it changed and they developed really well. Credit the new manager, who has done a great job. Last year they were in Champions League final, doing well in the league and at the moment they are level at the top, City is close. That’s the title everybody is waiting for in Liverpool. It’s a long, long time ago that they won the League and that’s the one, of course, they’re dreaming of.”
We are all set for another Champions League classic night at Anfield on Tuesday night but Robben is unlikely to feature due to his ongoing injury problems.
