Bayern, Dutch FA set to start talks
Bayern Munich and the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) have agreed to hold talks after Arjen Robben and Mark van Bommel sustained injuries while on international duty. Officials from both sides will meet
on Thursday to discuss a settlement.
"After all the mudslinging from Germany, there will be a meeting between the KNVB and Bayern Munich," KNVB president Michael van Praag said in an interview with
De Telegraaf after talking with Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
The two sides agreed to settle the issue after Bayern threatened to file a formal complaint against KNVB before the UEFA when their star players Robben and van Bommel sustained injuries while playing for
the Netherlands.
Bayern were furious after the two players were still fielded despite being injured.
Robben was suffering from a tear in his thigh when doctors examined him shortly after his return to Munich in August. As a result, he will miss the first half of the German Bundesliga season.
van Bommel, meanwhile, was fielded in the Netherlands' recent 2012 Euro qualifiers against Moldova and Sweden. The 33-year-old midfielder aggravated his knee injury and will be out of action for at least
10 days.
Rummenigge earlier criticised the KNVB for letting van Bommel play despite nursing an injury.
"Unfortunately, exactly the situation we feared prior to the Euro 2012 qualifying match between the Netherlands and Sweden on Tuesday has now come about,” he said.
"The responsible approach would have been for Mark van Bommel to return to Munich for a diagnosis and treatment from our chief medical officer Dr Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt," Rummenigge added.
The absence of Robben and van Bommel is a big blow to Bayern’s title-retention bid. The club are currently in 10th spot with 11 points. The Bavarian giants, however, are coming off a 3-0 thrashing
of Hannover, thanks to a hat-trick from Mario Gomez.
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