Bayern’s Ancelotti plays down Robben spat

BAYERN Munich boss Carlo Ancelotti dismissed Arjen Robben’s sideline spat as just something “from the media” after the Dutchman was substituted in the Bundesliga leaders’ 1-1 draw with Hoffenheim.

Bayern were denied a sixth straight win on Saturday by third-placed Hoffenheim, who preser ved their unbeaten record this season under coach Julian Nagelsmann, 29, the youngest manager in Bundesliga history.

The visitors took the lead when Hoffenheim’s Kerem Demirbay beautifully timed his arrival in the box to smash Nadiem Amiri’s pass into the top-left corner on 16 minutes.

The lead did not last and when Douglas Costa fired in a cross, Hoffenheim midfielder Steven Zuber deflected the ball between his own goalkeeper’s legs to score an own goal on 34 minutes.

Robben (pictured, ed, AFP) was replaced by French winger Kingsley Coman on 78 minutes and the Dutch winger stormed past Ancelotti whenhen he was taken off, f, without making g eye contact.

The 32- yearold is renowned for sulking when n substituted andd Ancelotti said therere was nothing to be read from Robben’sben’s body language.

“He played really eally well for 70 minutes and then I used a fresh player,” explained Ancelotti. “Every time that I substitute Arjen Robben, a lot of people seem to thin think that there is a problem problem, but there isn’t one – at m most, it’s from the media media.” Bayern were unlucky to finish with a dr draw after both M Mats Hummels a and Thomas Muller hit the woodwork in the last five minutes. Muller has s c o r e d f o u r goa goals i n his last thre three games for G e r ma n y, b u t curiously he has yet to score in any of his 10 league games this season.

“The dirt is sticking to my boots a bit,” he joked when asked about his near-miss, which clattered the crossbar.

Hoffenheim have so far claimed the scalps of Bayer Leverkusen, Schalke and Hert ha Berl i n in Ger many’s top flight and Ancelotti admitted his side were given a firsthalf fright.

“We knew before the game that Hoffenheim are a good team, but we were still given a surprise in the first-half,” said the Italian.

“We played well after that and had our chances to score.

“At end of t he day, we deser ved to win, but footba ll is sometimes like t hat.”

Nagelsmann, who took over in February and kept his side up last season, has turned Hoffenheim into title contenders and is happy to go into the international break unbeaten.

“We have made good progress and now we have the chance to get a bit of energy back,” said Nagelsmann, whose side next face Hamburg and Borussia Monchengladbach, who are both struggling for form.

But goalscorer Demirbay, who was signed from seconddivision Fortuna Duesseldorf in the off-season, said the draw was deserved.

“We proved that we can play football against one of the best teams in Europe,” said the midfielder.