Argentine doubts Arjen Robben’s toughness
Robben easily intimidated, says Demichelis
SAO PAULO — Martin Demichelis has stoked the tension ahead of Argentina’s World Cup semifinal against Holland Wednesday by claiming that Arjen Robben “has not got much edge, he’s not a fighter.”
The central defender suggested that Robben, who has constantly and angrily refuted claims during this tournament that he takes dives “doesn’t like physical contact” and can be easily intimidated.
“He is a phenomenon and it is vital to know which way he goes,” Demichelis said. “But he’s not got much edge, he’s not a fighter. Therefore you have to attack him because the more you stand off, the nearer to the goal you take him and the less margin of error you have.”
T he com ments from Demichelis — a former teammate of Robben at Bayern Munich when they reached the 2010 Champions League final — appeared in the Argentine newspaper Clarin and follow a warning from teammate Javier Mascherano about the phenomenal speed of the Dutch forwards on the counter-attack.
Robben has been one of the most impressive performers at the World Cup despite controversy over whether he has sought fouls, especially in the penalty area. Robben admitted he did dive in the first half of the last-16 tie against Mexico, although the Dutchman was later fouled for the winning penalty.
Wesley Sneijder has already likened Robben’s importance to the Dutch to Lionel Messi’s with Argentina and this tie could well be determined on how those two players are dealt with by the opposition.
Demichelis is expected to retain his place for the semifinal in Sao Paulo to face his former teammate, having been recalled for the lasteight meeting against Belgium in Brasilia last weekend which ended in a 1-0 victory. That assured appearance ended more than two years of international exile for the 33-year-old, who was blamed when Argentina conceded a goal in the World Cup qualifier against Bolivia.
However, after a difficult start to his career at Manchester City last season, Demichelis had a strong end to the campaign and forced his way into Alejandro Sabella’s squad and now, with Federico Fernandez having been unconvincing, into the Argentina team. “It means a lot in every sense,” Demichelis said of his return. “It is a reward for those who helped me.”
Demichelis will also be out to thwart Louis van Gaal, his manager at Bayern Munich during the 2009-10 season. Bayern won the Bundesliga that season and reached the Champions League final, losing 2-0 to Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan. It was Van Gaal who signed Robben — and sold seven-year Bayern veteran Demichelis.
“Van Gaal was the best manager I’ve had in my career,” Demichelis said. “I was irritated (when he was left out of the side) but I always recognized he was the best football-wise, for the concepts he has and how he imposes them on a team.
“He has shown that in this World Cup. But I didn’t leave (Bayern) because of him, but because of my own decision.”
Indeed Demichelis said it came as no surprise to him when he heard that Van Gaal had substituted his goalkeeper just before the end of extra-time during the penalty shootout against Costa Rica.
“The other day we were in the airplane and one of the lads said they were changing the goalkeeper for the penalties,” Demichelis said. “But he’s (Robben) not got much edge, he’s not a fighter.”
Martin Demichelis
“It didn’t surprise me. I’ve seen him do such things many times. For example, he’d get in front of the squad and say who was the best or worst at doing different things. He has a real determination in thinking about the team and potential consequences. I learned a lot from Van Gaal.”
While the impressive return of Demichelis has removed one problem for Sabella, the Argentina manager also has to decide how best to cope with the absence of Angel di Maria, who has been ruled out with a thigh injury.
There have been suggestions that he might risk Demichelis’s City teammate Sergio Aguero, who has been struggling with a groin problem throughout the World Cup and aggravated the injury against Nigeria earlier in the competition. However, the likelihood is that he will turn to Enzo Perez, who replaced Di Maria against Belgium.