Friday, March 19, 2021 at 3:38 PM• Rian Rosendaal • Last update: 15:49

Arjen Robben has carefully resumed group training at FC Groningen. The now 37-year-old wing attacker appeared again on the training field of the Pride of the North, although the routine can not yet fully train with the selection of trainer Danny Buijs. It is out of the question that Robben will get playing time in the away match against RKC Waalwijk on Saturday evening. It is not yet known exactly when he will make his return.

“Arjen has participated again for a few moments”, Buijs explains in an interview on the Groningen YouTube channel on Friday afternoon. “The selection is getting more complete again. A number of boys have joined again last week. The only two who did not participate this week are Jørgen Strand Larsen and Ramon Pascal Lundqvist.” Robben’s return to Groningen has not yet been a success. The winger was hit by injuries to the groin and calf and his last performance dates back to October 18, when FC Utrecht visited the Hitachi Capital Mobility Stadium.

Robben seriously considered putting a definitive end to his career in December. “The energy was gone for a while,” admitted the former attacker of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Chelsea three months ago in conversation with ESPN. “Then stopping will go through your head. But a little voice in my head kept me from doing that. I am a sportsman and I want to play for the club so much. But of course it is all frustrating.” Robben had anticipated setbacks in advance. “I knew it was going to be difficult. Of course I am no longer the youngest and have always had a lot to do with injuries in my career.” Robben spoke to people around him about this. “I said from the beginning that I was going to try it, but also that it might be difficult. But I really want to do it for the club.”

So far Robben came to only 44 minutes in the Eredivisie: 30 against his old employer PSV and 14 in the encounter with Utrecht. In the home game against PSV, he was forced to leave after half an hour of play. The deeply disappointed Robben took off his shirt and immediately disappeared into the catacombs. It later turned out that the former the Dutch-international had left the Groningen stadium during the meeting with PSV.