Bayern Munich star Arjen Robben told Arsene Wenger he should act with more class after being described as a ‘great diver’ by the Arsenal boss.
The Holland international hit back at the Gunners boss in the wake of the German club’s 3-1 Champions League victory at the Allianz Arena, in which Robben won a late penalty.
The spot kick was saved by Lukasz Fabianksi, but Wenger waded in after the match, prompting a robust response from the Dutchman.
Robben said: ‘I always say if you are a big manager then take your loss… if you win be happy, enjoy, but if you lose don’t complain about silly things.
‘It was two penalties but I don’t want to defend myself.
‘From a big manager you expect a little bit more.’
Despite Arsenal’s spirited performance, Wenger had complained that Robben, who won a penalty at the Emirates when Wojciech Szczesny was sent off, dived again in the 52nd minute after a challenge by Santi Cazorla.
Wenger said: ‘He is a very good diver, but that is the way it goes. It is the referee – Robben is a fantastic player, but he doesn’t need to do it. He gets in front of the player, he goes down. We spoke about this yesterday.
If the referee gives him a yellow card he will not do it again.’
Wenger remains convinced that Szczesny’s dismissal was the reason Bayern progressed to the quarter-finals.
The Arsenal chief added: ‘We had a good chance to win the game. I believe that in the second half the opportunities were there but overall over the two games I feel the major decision was the one to send our keeper off.
‘Good luck to Bayern because they are a good side but this season they were more vulnerable. We have regrets. In the last five years we have twice played Barcelona, twice Bayern and they are at the top of their game every time.
‘Every time in the last two years at home we have been very harshly done by. Away from home we have not lost for a long time in Germany but at home we have been caught.
Written by Steve Milne
