Arjen Robben will tell his Bayern Munich team-mates they must take whatever chances come their way in the Champions League final against Internazionale on Saturday (23/10 Bayern Munich 9/4 draw 6/5 Inter Milan).
Holland winger Robben knows games at the highest level are often decided by fractions and believes the Bundesliga giants must be clinical in front of goal to have any hope of winning Europe’s elite club competition for the first time since 2001.
Robben has weighed in with some crucial goals en route to the Santiago Bernabeu and says Bayern must stick to their attacking principals (11/2 Robben – First and Last Goalscorer).
He also expects the Serie A champions not to sit back as much as they did when holding out against Barcelona with 10 men at the Nou Camp in the second leg of the semi-finals.
“I don’t expect Inter to defend as much as they did against Barcelona, though of course they also had a player sent off,” said Robben.
“We have to play our own game. We can’t change our tactics. We’ve played the whole season the same way and that’s what we will do in the final as well.”
He added: “On the day you have to sometimes be a bit lucky, but at least you have to be sharp in front of goal and the chances you get you have to take.”
The game takes on extra significance for Robben because he will be lining up against his former Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, at the home of Real Madrid – the club he left in August 2009.
The 26-year-old, a title winner with Spain’s capital club, says he is relishing the chance to go back to Madrid and help Bayern win the Champions League – but not for personal gains.
Bayern remain on course for the treble and Robben is keen to put the team before any personal accolades.
When asked if he had a point to prove, Robben said: “Yes, but not particularly in this game. I can already be satisfied about this season. But of course this is the highest occasion for a football player, also as an individual, so hopefully I can have a good game. But it’s not to show people, it’s to win the title.”
He added on uefa.com: “That’s the most important thing. If I have a terrible game and we win in the end it’s all good.”
Robben said he and his team-mates did not expect to reach the final this season but that they did not want to waste a golden opportunity to win a major European trophy.
He said: “It’s funny, the club didn’t expect us to be in the final this year. The main goal was to win the championship and that’s what we did. But now we’re in the final, it’s a unique opportunity and you have to try and win it.
“You have to give all on this day and I think we will see 22 players who will play for their lives.”
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