Bayern's Robben out two months with thigh injury

Soccer Betting Lines

08/03/2010 - Munich, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bayern Munich and Netherlands international Arjen Robben was diagnosed with a torn muscle in his left thigh on Tuesday and will be sidelined at least two months.

Robben joined Bayern last offseason from Real Madrid, and helped the Germans reach the Champions League final. Robben then suffered an injury for the Dutch just before the World Cup, but returned during the tournament to lead his team to the final.

"This is a serious injury," Bayern Munich Chief Medical Officer Dr. Muller- Wohlfahrt said on the team's website. "I consider it irresponsible that this injury was not more precisely diagnosed, and that Arjen was allowed to play."

Robben was instrumental in South Africa, helping the Netherlands defeat Brazil in the quarterfinals and Uruguay in the semifinals, before a 1-0 loss to Spain in extra time in the final.

The winger will require at least eight weeks of treatment, ruling him out for the beginning of the German Bundesliga season. Bayern opens the season Aug. 20 against Wolfsburg.

"This diagnosis after my return to the club comes as a huge shock," Robben said. "I'm extremely disappointed, as the enforced break is a big setback for me and for the team."

Bayern Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was upset about the injury, and plans to seek compensation.

"Naturally, FC Bayern Munich is extremely angry," Rummenigge said. "Yet again, we as a club are having to pay the price for a player sustaining a serious injury with his national team.

"We will seek to reach an amicable settlement to this problem with the Dutch Football Association. Football's world governing body FIFA has been informed about Arjen Robben's injury, and we have requested FIFA to act as a mediator if necessary."

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Big East Conference odds

Work left to do: Villanova, Syracuse, DePaul, West Virginia, Providence

Notre Dame and Louisville appear to have done enough to make the move, so we'll make them locks. The Cardinals, despite a modest RPI, are trending way up and have clinched at least a tie for third in the Big East, which should be more than enough with their pair of big road wins. Villanova got back to .500 and gets back to more solid footing. Syracuse got a very important road win and crippled a fellow contender in the process. West Virginia's fate could be in its hands Tuesday at Pitt.

Work left to do:

Villanova [18-9 (7-7), RPI: 21, SOS: 5] Pounded Rutgers to get back to .500. If Cats can get their last two (at UConn, vs. Syracuse), that should be enough with strong computer numbers and a host of wins away from The Pavilion. The Cats have beaten Texas and swept the Big 5 (never easy in Philly), but have a couple of losses to bubble teams (Xavier, Drexel), too. I still think they'll be OK, possibly even at 8-8.

Syracuse [20-8 (9-5), RPI: 53, SOS: 62] History says 10 wins will be plenty, but it might be hard for the Orange to get that last one with a final two vs. G'town, which is trying to win the league title, and at Villanova, which will be desperate for a W. The relative lack of nonconference heft and the weak computer numbers are still concerns, but the Orange have won four in a row and got a very, very big win at Providence on Saturday.

DePaul [16-12 (8-7), RPI: 54, SOS: 18] Beat Cincy and should get past South Florida to get to 9-7, but then what? They have beaten Kansas and Cal (right after the DeVon Hardin injury) earlier this season, but also have lost to Bradley and Purdue, among others. They'll likely need a couple of BE tourney wins, too, but we'll see ...

West Virginia [19-7 (8-6), RPI: 58, SOS: 125] The game at Pitt on Tuesday night could decide the Mountaineers' fate (barring a deep tournament run). They can still get to 9-7 in the Big East without it by beating Cincinnati, but the nine wins would be against UConn, Villanova, St. John's, South Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Seton Hall twice and the Bearcats. Beating bubble foes is fine, but where's the beef? Outside of beating PG-less UCLA in nonconference play (still a top quality win), there's not a lot to fall back on (besides maybe NC State). WVU vs. Syracuse would be an interesting debate, as the teams don't play in the Big East regular season. WVU has the best win, but Cuse has played the much better schedule.

Providence [17-10 (7-7), RPI: 70, SOS: 33] The Friars likely saw their at-large hopes die at home in the four-point loss to Syracuse, barring an unexpected run to the Big East semis or more. The RPI, bad already, won't be helped by playing St. John's and South Florida in the final two league games.

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