Villarreal winger Samuel Chukwueze has opened on his friendship with Victor Osimhen and described the Lille man as a joy to play with.
Dutch winger Arjen Robben has announced he is ending his playing career at the age of 35 after a 10-year spell with German giants Bayern Munich.
“It is without a doubt the most difficult decision I have had to make in my career, my heart says yes, my body says no,” Robben told the Telegraaf.
His contract at Bayern had expired on June 30.
Robben played 96 international matches for the Netherlands, scoring 37 goals, starring in the team which reached the 2010 World Cup final and finished third four years later.
He won two Premier League titles under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea in 2005 and 2006, before claiming a La Liga winner’s medal with Real Madrid.
But Robben, a Groningen youth product, will be best remembered for his time at Bayern. He helped the Bavarians to eight Bundesliga crowns, five German Cups and the 2013 Champions League title, scoring 144 goals in 309 appearances for the club.
There had been speculation Robben would continue playing, with a possible return to England mooted, but instead he has decided to hang up his boots.
Robben had already retired from international football after the Netherlands failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben believes his team should be confident ahead of their Champions League quarterfinal first leg at home to Real Madrid, while los blancos midfielder Kroos says the fixture could be a final of the competition.
The two heavyweights will meet at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday and then six days later at the Santiago Bernabeu, with this being their 11th knockout meeting in the history of the Continental competions (European Cup and Champions League), making it the most played fixture in UEFA club competition.
Familiar faces for both teams are not few, with Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti having spent two years as Madrid boss between 2013 and 2015, Robben having a stinct as a Madridsta from 2007 to 2009 and Kroos being a Bayern player between 2007 and 2014.
Speaking to AS, Robben said it would be important for Bayern to “impose their style of play” on the game from the outset.
“It is difficult, they are one of the best teams in the world, with world-class players,” Robben said. “It will be important to start the game confidently and with passion on the pitch, and try and impose our own style of play. It is about going out to win the game from the first moment. We have reasons to be confident, although at the same time we must be humble. We need to begin the game with passion, aggression and show that we want to win from the first moment.”
“We have just beaten a big opponent [in Dortmund] which of course gives us confidence,” he said. “We created many chances and enjoyed ourselves on the pitch. I feel that we are ready for Madrid.”
Robben added that Madrid’s victory when the teams met three years ago in the Champions League semifinals, including a 4-0 win in the second leg, would not be a factor this year.
“Not at all, that is all passed and is not important anymore,” he said. “We are only interested in the future. We are playing to reach the semifinals against a team of the size of Real Madrid and our objective is to progress. Nothing else interests us.”
Meanwhile Kroos, who came through the ranks at Bayern and played 130 Bundesliga games for the club, told Madrid’s official website that he was looking forward to taking on many of his friends and former teammates.
“I know the players there better than anyone and it will be a special tie, but I don’t have any other big feelings towards it,” he said. “I always keep up with how Bayern are doing. There are still many of the same players there. We are all looking forward to these games both my friends at Bayern Munich and I. They will be two fantastic games. This tie could easily be the Champions League final.”