MADRID (AFP) - Real Madrid said Arjen Robben will be unavailable for Thursday's Spanish Cup match against Mallorca due to a muscle strain, the latest injury to the club's costliest pre-season signing.
The Dutch midfielder has now suffered four injuries and failed to make an impression since joining the club from Chelsea for 36 million euros (52 million US dollars) on a five-year contract.
The 23-year-old has made only five starts since joining Real Madrid, two of them in the league, the newspaper El Mundo noted on its website.
It said Robben, who gets paid around 10 million euros a year, has thus lived up to his reputation of being as fragile "as glass".
El Mundo said his fraility contrasted with the robustness of countryman and clubmate Ruud Van Nistelrooy, 31, who on Wednesday extended his contract for two years to 2010.
Coach Bernd Schuster said last month that Robben was suffering from "anxiety" resulting from his desire to prove himself.
a-Lost-9uY
Van Nistelrooy extends contract with Real until 2010
MADRID (AFP) - Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy signed a new deal with Real Madrid on Wednesday which extends his contract with the Spanish champions until 2010, the club said on its website.
No financial conditions were disclosed. Van Nistelrooy, 31, joined Real from Manchester United in July 2006 for 15 million euros (22 million US dollars) on a three-year contract.
A favourite of Real coach Bernd Schuster, the Dutch international was the Spanish league's top scorer in the 2006/07 season with 25 goals.
"I am really pleased to be staying here. It's an honour to be a part of the history of this club," he said.
Dead_Man_Inc
he so injury prone ar?
a-Lost-9uY
Originally posted by Dead_Man_Inc:
he so injury prone ar?
yaloh.. so young ardy like this le.. not gd not gd
extrinsic
friend of saha, i guess
stellazio
never dirnk enough milk when he was young i guess.