Arjen Robben forced out of Real Madrid after Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka signings — and revealed fears over ‘step down’ to Bayern Munich in 2009
Return of Florentino Perez saw Los Blancos break world transfer record twice — but stars had to move on to fund spending spree
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ARJEN ROBBEN has revealed the arrivals of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka forced him out of Real Madrid — and he was worried about making the ‘step down’ to Bayern Munich.
In the summer of 2009, Florentino Perez was re-elected as club president at the Bernabeu, and immediately went about restoring the Spanish giants’ place among the top sides in Europe.
Real Madrid twice broke the world transfer record by bringing in first Kaka for £56million and then Ronaldo for £80m, while also signing Xabi Alonso and Karim Benzema — each for £30m plus.
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However, in order to fund those mega deals, Perez was forced to sell Robben to Bayern and fellow Dutchman, Wesley Sneijder to Inter Milan.
And the former Chelsea winger admitted he was disappointed to leave the Bernabeu.
Speaking to , the 32-year-old said: "It was a bit of a weird summer with the return of Florentino Perez as president.
“And then all the new signings arrived.
“Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso all came to Madrid for a huge amount of money.
"We were told that the club would be able to make some money on me if they sold me.
“But I initially did not want to leave. I had possibly my best pre-season ever, but I still did not get a chance, so I had to make a decision.”
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Bayern had not reached a Champions League final for eight years and just 12 months earlier had been battered in the semi-finals of the Uefa Cup by eventual winners, Zenit St Petersburg.
Robben saw a switch the Bavarians as a level below Real Madrid.
He added: "There was contact with Bayern, but it was a difficult decision, the most difficult one of my career.
“Bayern were not among the European elite at that moment — like we are now — and it was a step back for me.
"I went for it in the end, because the club did everything within their power to sign me. And the presence of Louis van Gaal obviously played a role as well.
"I am a real Bayern man now, I am into my eighth season here and I have become a part of this club."
It can be claimed Robben’s transfer to Bayern help move the Bundesliga giants from also-rans to one of the biggest forces in Europe.
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He looked to be on the wane at Madrid, but was transformed under Van Gaal — and scored stunning tie-winning strikes against Fiorentina and Manchester United, as the Bavarians reached the Champions League final in his first season..
They repeated the trick two years later when they lost at their own ground to Chelsea.
However, Robben’s Wembley winner 12 months on saw Bayern claim a fifth title by beating Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the first all-German final.