Football
ESPN staff 9y

Arjen Robben croc-ed at Bayern Munich training camp

Bayern Munich star Arjen Robben has joked that he was bitten by a crocodile after appearing at training with a bandage on his left hand.

Bayern are spending time in the Middle East in preparation for the second half of the season, training a maximum of two times per day and having plenty of time for physiotherapy, massage and relaxation.

Robben, though, suffered an injury during weight training that led to him bandaging his hand and fingers, and he joked to TZ: "When I got the ball out of the pocket during a game of billiards, a crocodile bit me."

Bayern director of sport Matthias Sammer, meanwhile, has said the players do not realise how lucky they are to be training in the Gulf instead of a boot camp in Germany.

Speaking in the Bild newspaper, the 47-year-old acknowledged how different things are now, compared to when he was a professional, although he said he is pleased things have moved on. He said: "I remember it really well. I was 18, it was winter and with Dynamo Dresden, we travelled into the middle of nowhere.

"We had four sessions a day -- the first at 7.30 in the morning, a run through the woods which was obviously against the clock, then at 9.30 we had a go on the running machine.

"In the afternoon, we trained with the ball for half an hour in the deep snow, and then we went into the gym in the evening -- and we did that for 12 days.

"You couldn't feel anything as you lay in bed at night. The young players just wanted to survive. It was a test of character."

He added: "Fortunately things have changed drastically compared to before. Fortunately today people have realised there is more than just running in the woods. That's great for the game and for the players too because training in itself is enjoyable, whereas before it was horrible."

Bayern return to Germany this weekend after playing a friendly against Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia. Their first game of the second half of the Bundesliga season is at second-placed Wolfsburg on Jan. 31.

Information from the Press Association was used in this report

^ Back to Top ^