Editing Arjen Robben (section)

=== Chelsea ===

==== 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons ====
[[File:Robben celebrate.jpg|thumb|right|Robben celebrates winning the [[2004–05 FA Premier League|2004–05 Premier League]]]]
Robben did not make his competitive debut for Chelsea until 23 October 2004 against [[Blackburn Rovers]],<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/3727538.stm | title=Chelsea 4-0 Blackburn | publisher=[[BBC]] | date=23 October 2004 | access-date=3 July 2023}}</ref> as he was injured in a pre-season [[friendly match]] against [[A.S. Roma|Roma]], breaking a [[metatarsal]] bone in his right foot in a challenge from [[Olivier Dacourt]].<ref name="Robben's page at Chelseafc"/> During this time, he told club doctors that he had noticed an unfamiliar growth on one of his testicles. The medical team quickly did tests to check for [[testicular cancer]], but he was subsequently given the all clear.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/4080945.stm |title=Robben reveals his cancer scare |website=BBC Sport |date=9 December 2004 |access-date=11 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100705140624/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/4080945.stm |archive-date=5 July 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Robben proved to be a crucial player for the [[2004–05 FA Premier League|2004–05 season]]; in November 2004, he was awarded the [[Premier League Player of the Month]] award.<ref name="Robben's page at Chelseafc"/><ref name="Premierleague awards"/> Robben ended the [[2004–05 FA Premier League|2004–05 season]] with seven goals, his second highest professional total. He was shortlisted for the [[PFA Young Player of the Year]], but was beaten by Manchester United's [[Wayne Rooney]].<ref name="Rooney secures young player prize">{{cite news |title=Rooney secures young player prize |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/4478367.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=22 April 2005 |access-date=3 August 2008}}</ref><ref name="Chelsea charges dominate PFA nominations">{{cite news |title=Chelsea charges dominate PFA nominations |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/2005/0414/pfa.html |publisher=RTÉ Sport |date=14 April 2005 |access-date=3 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090108074225/http://www.rte.ie/sport/2005/0414/pfa.html |archive-date=8 January 2009}}</ref> Robben was badly injured in a [[Premier League]] match away to Blackburn Rovers and forced to sit out the [[2005 Football League Cup Final]], Chelsea's title run-in and progress to the semi-finals of the [[2004–05 UEFA Champions League|UEFA Champions League]].<ref name="Robben sidelined with broken foot">{{cite news |title=Robben sidelined with broken foot |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/4237239.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=8 February 2005 |access-date=3 August 2008}}</ref> Back to fitness for [[2005–06 FA Premier League|2005–06]], Robben was an integral part of the Chelsea left wing. In 28&nbsp;matches, Robben contributed six goals as Chelsea won a second consecutive Premier League championship, the first back-to-back titles for the west London club.<ref name="Arjen Robben career history"/>

==== 2006–07 season ====
Robben was later named man of the match on 23 December 2006 against [[Wigan Athletic F.C.|Wigan Athletic]], a match where he got two assists and the winning goal.<ref name="Match report: Wigan 2 Chelsea 3">{{cite news |title=Match report: Wigan 2 Chelsea 3 |url=http://www.chelseafc.com/matchday-live/match/32772 |publisher=Chelsea F.C. |date=23 December 2006 |access-date=24 April 2014}}</ref>

Robben was inflicted with yet another injury in a match against Liverpool on 20 January 2007.<ref name="Match report: Liverpool 2 Chelsea 0">{{cite news |title=Match report: Liverpool 2 Chelsea 0 |url=http://www.chelseafc.com/matchday-live/match/33664 |publisher=Chelsea F.C. |date=30 January 2007 |access-date=24 April 2014}}</ref> Robben made his return in a 3–0 victory against [[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough]] in February, driving in a shot that took a deflection past [[Mark Schwarzer]] for an own goal by [[Abel Xavier]].<ref name="Match report: Chelsea 3 Middlesbrough 0">{{cite web |title=Match report: Chelsea 3 Middlesbrough 0 |url=http://www.chelseafc.com/matchday-live/match/34337 |publisher=Chelsea F.C. |date=10 February 2007 |access-date=24 April 2014}}</ref> He came on as a substitute for [[Claude Makélélé]] in the [[2007 Football League Cup Final|2007 League Cup final]] against [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] and set up the winning goal for [[Didier Drogba]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/6371613.stm |title=Live – Carling Cup final |website=BBC Sport |date=25 February 2007 |access-date=26 April 2012}}</ref> Robben scored a goal in the second round of the [[2006–07 UEFA Champions League|Champions League]] against [[FC Porto|Porto]], which led to Chelsea winning the tie 3–2 on [[Two-legged tie|aggregate]]. At the end of March 2007, Robben underwent a knee operation after sustaining a knee injury upon returning from international duty that was expected to rule him out for at least four weeks.<ref name="Robben out for four weeks after knee surgery">{{cite news |title=Robben out for four weeks after knee surgery |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=417752&cc=4716 |publisher=ESPNsoccernet |date=31 March 2007 |access-date=3 August 2008 |archive-date=29 June 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120629075831/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=417752&cc=5739 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He only made two further appearances for Chelsea, both of which were as a substitute<ref>{{Soccerbase season|32476|2006|access-date=24 April 2012}}</ref> and both of which would prove to be key games for the club. His first appearance since returning from injury was against Liverpool in the [[2006–07 UEFA Champions League|Champions League]] semi-final second leg which went to penalties. Robben went on to have his penalty saved by Pepe Reina, and Chelsea ultimately lost.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/6603039.stm |title=Liverpool 1–0 Chelsea (Agg: 1–1) |publisher=BBC |date=1 May 2007 |access-date=24 April 2012}}</ref>

Robben's final appearance for the club came against Manchester United in the [[2007 FA Cup Final]]. Robben replaced [[Joe Cole]] at half-time, but was then substituted himself for [[Ashley Cole]] in extra time as Chelsea emerged victorious.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/6649815.stm |title=FA Cup final – Chelsea 1–0 Man Utd |website=BBC Sport |date=19 May 2007 |access-date=24 April 2012}}</ref> Spanish club [[Real Madrid C.F.|Real Madrid]] were interested in two of Chelsea's players. Then manager [[Bernd Schuster]] is said to have demanded [[Michael Ballack]], while Real Madrid's then president [[Ramón Calderón]] was known to favour Robben.<ref name="Reports: Real Madrid close to signing Ballack and Robben">{{cite news |title=Reports: Real Madrid close to signing Ballack and Robben from Chelsea for €40 million |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=417752&cc=4716 |work=International Herald Tribune |date=4 August 2007 |access-date=3 August 2008 |archive-date=29 June 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120629075831/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=417752&cc=5739 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Robben said to reporters of Spanish newspaper ''[[AS (newspaper)|AS]]'', "I do not know when a deal will be reached. I would like to send a message to the Madrid fans, but I can't until my future is sorted."<ref>{{cite news |title=Robben: "Me hace feliz el interés del Madrid" |url=http://www.as.com/futbol/articulo/robben-hace-feliz-interes-madrid/dasftb/20070808dasdaiftb_29/Tes |publisher=As.com |date=8 August 2007 |access-date=3 August 2008 |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Robben dreaming of move to Madrid |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2007/SPORT/football/08/09/player.robben/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=10 August 2007 |access-date=3 August 2008}}</ref>

Real Madrid eventually secured Robben's services in August 2007.<ref name="Robben to Real">{{cite news |title=Arjen Robben signs for Real Madrid |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2318602/Arjen-Robben-signs-for-Real-Madrid.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2318602/Arjen-Robben-signs-for-Real-Madrid.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=9 August 2007 |access-date=17 March 2010 |location=London |first1=Andy |last1=Hooper}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He told Chelsea's official club website:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/1108326 |title=ROBBEN THANKS BLUES FANS |publisher=Chelsea F.C. |date=7 September 2007 |access-date=24 April 2014}}</ref>{{blockquote|text=It was difficult to leave because I had a great time in my three years at Chelsea and I made a lot of friends. There was no time to say goodbye because the deal was closed on the Wednesday at 10 o'clock in the evening and the following morning I had to fly. If I have one day off I would want to come back and say goodbye because to the fans I owe a big thank you because they were always good to me. In my three years I won all the prizes there are to win in England.}}