BERLIN (Reuters) – Bayern Munich jumped to winger Arjen Robben’s defence on Wednesday after he was jeered by the club’s fans in a friendly match, days after missing a penalty in their Champions League final defeat to Chelsea.

Many fans among the 33,000 crowd at Tuesday’s friendly between Bayern and Netherlands in Munich vented their frustration at losing out on the biggest European club prize, whistling and jeering the Dutch international, who played only for Netherlands, when he had possession.

Robben’s spot-kick in extra time on Saturday was saved by Chelsea keeper Petr Cech. The English club went on to become European champions after winning a penalty shootout at Bayern’s own Allianz Arena. Robben did not take a penalty in the game-deciding shootout.

“Just like the other players, fans and friends of Bayern, Arjen Robben is deeply disappointed and affected by the undeserved defeat on penalties against Chelsea,” Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in a statement.

“But it is the style of Bayern and their fans to give the one who has fallen down the hand and help him. This morning we have received a lot of reactions from Bayern fans who apologise on behalf of those who whistled.

“Bayern wish Arjen Robben a good and successful Euro championship and look forward to having him back in the Bayern group in July.”

Robben, who earlier this month extended his Bayern contract by two years to 2015, has had an uneasy relationship this season with the club’s fans, some accusing the Dutchman of being too selfish on the pitch.

BERLIN, May 23 (Reuters) – Bayern Munich jumped to winger Arjen Robben’s defence on Wednesday after he was jeered by the club’s fans in a friendly match, days after missing a penalty in their Champions League final defeat to Chelsea.

Many fans among the 33,000 crowd at Tuesday’s friendly between Bayern and Netherlands in Munich vented their frustration at losing out on the biggest European club prize, whistling and jeering the Dutch international, who played only for Netherlands, when he had possession.

Robben’s spot-kick in extra time on Saturday was saved by Chelsea keeper Petr Cech. The English club went on to become European champions after winning a penalty shootout at Bayern’s own Allianz Arena. Robben did not take a penalty in the game-deciding shootout.

“Just like the other players, fans and friends of Bayern, Arjen Robben is deeply disappointed and affected by the undeserved defeat on penalties against Chelsea,” Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in a statement.

“But it is the style of Bayern and their fans to give the one who has fallen down the hand and help him. This morning we have received a lot of reactions from Bayern fans who apologise on behalf of those who whistled.

“Bayern wish Arjen Robben a good and successful Euro championship and look forward to having him back in the Bayern group in July.”

Robben, who earlier this month extended his Bayern contract by two years to 2015, has had an uneasy relationship this season with the club’s fans, some accusing the Dutchman of being too selfish on the pitch.

MUNICH (Reuters) – Another Champions League final another defeat, time is running out for Bayern Munich’s home-grown talent to claim the top prize in European club football and cement their status as a golden generation.

Bayern had set their sights on the Champions League in December 2010 when club president Uli Hoeness mapped out their target of lifting the trophy in their own stadium in 2012.

But 18 months later, that dream turned into an “absolute nightmare”.

Bayern started with five youth academy products in the side and despite dominating much of Saturday’s game could manage only a 1-1 draw with Chelsea before they were beaten in a penalty shootout.

The German side have now lost two Champions League finals in the last three seasons.

“What happened to us is an absolute nightmare,” said Bayern sports director Christian Nerlinger. “The disappointment has gone very deep. It is like a bad movie and it will be very difficult to digest this defeat.”

Local boy Thomas Mueller had given the Bavarians an 83rd minute lead but Didier Drogba levelled for Chelsea two minutes from time. Dutchman Arjen Robben’s penalty miss in extra time gave Chelsea the chance to snatch the title in the shootout.

MUNICH, May 20 (Reuters) – Another Champions League final another defeat, time is running out for Bayern Munich’s home-grown talent to claim the top prize in European club football and cement their status as a golden generation.

Bayern had set their sights on the Champions League in December 2010 when club president Uli Hoeness mapped out their target of lifting the trophy in their own stadium in 2012.

But 18 months later, that dream turned into an “absolute nightmare”.

Bayern started with five youth academy products in the side and despite dominanting much of Saturday’s game could manage only a 1-1 draw with Chelsea before they were beaten in a penalty shootout.

The German side have now lost two Champions League finals in the last three seasons.

“What happened to us is an absolute nightmare,” said Bayern sports director Christian Nerlinger. “The disappointment has gone very deep. It is like a bad movie and it will be very difficult to digest this defeat.”

Local boy Thomas Mueller had given the Bavarians an 83rd minute lead but Didier Drogba levelled for Chelsea two minutes from time. Dutchman Arjen Robben’s penalty miss in extra time gave Chelsea the chance to snatch the title in the shootout.

MUNICH (Reuters) – Bayern Munich have only themselves to blame for failing to lift the Champions League trophy for the fifth time on Saturday after dominating against Chelsea but losing 4-3 on penalties, coach Jupp Heynckes said.

Bayern had the upper hand for most of the 1-1 draw at their own Allianz Arena but wasted a bagful of chances and an extra- time penalty before the English club snatched the top European club trophy in the penalty shootout.

“This was not about who won in the penalties,” Heynckes told reporters. “This was about us not using our chances to win the game. It is purely our fault that we did not use our many chances.

“My team played an outstanding game against an opponent who played as we expected them to do,” said the 67-year-old coach, who won the title with Real Madrid in 1998.

Bayern looked on track for their first Champions League victory since 2001 when Thomas Mueller headed in for a much-deserved lead in the 83rd minute after the Bavarians played cat and mouse with Chelsea for much of the game.

Mario Gomez, Mueller and Arjen Robben had earlier come close several times.

Bayern then conceded an 88th-minute equaliser through Didier Drogba, who then brought down Franck Ribery in the first half of extra time for a penalty.

MUNICH, May 20 (Reuters) – Bayern Munich have only themselves to blame for failing to lift the Champions League trophy for the fifth time on Saturday after dominating against Chelsea but losing 4-3 on penalties, coach Jupp Heynckes said.

Bayern had the upper hand for most of the 1-1 draw at their own Allianz Arena but wasted a bagful of chances and an extra- time penalty before the English club snatched the top European club trophy in the penalty shootout.

“This was not about who won in the penalties,” Heynckes told reporters. “This was about us not using our chances to win the game. It is purely our fault that we did not use our many chances.

“My team played an outstanding game against an opponent who played as we expected them to do,” said the 67-year-old coach, who won the title with Real Madrid in 1998.

Bayern looked on track for their first Champions League victory since 2001 when Thomas Mueller headed in for a much-deserved lead in the 83rd minute after the Bavarians played cat and mouse with Chelsea for much of the game.

Mario Gomez, Mueller and Arjen Robben had earlier come close several times.

Bayern then conceded an 88th-minute equaliser through Didier Drogba, who then brought down Franck Ribery in the first half of extra time for a penalty.

MUNICH (Reuters) – Bayern Munich take on Chelsea in the Champions League final later on Saturday, with the Germans hoping to become European kings for the fifth time and the English attempting to reach the pinnacle of the game for the first time ever.

Both teams have a string of suspensions, with Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes missing three key players and Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo having to replace four.

Should Bayern win their first Champions League title since 2001, they will become the first team since Inter Milan in 1965 to lift the European Cup at home, and only the third to do so since the competition started out as the European Champions Cup in 1955-56.

The only other club to win the trophy in their home stadium were Real Madrid in 1957.

The other link with Real is that Heynckes coached Madrid to victory in 1998, and he himself would become only the fourth man to coach two different clubs to European Cup/Champions League success if Bayern are victorious.

“This is the highlight of our history,” said Bayern president Uli Hoeness, who won the biggest club prize in European football both as a Bayern player in the 1970s and as the club’s sports director in 2001.

“It is the ideal situation for us, one which will most likely be unique.”

MUNICH, May 19 (Reuters) – Bayern Munich take on Chelsea in the Champions League final later on Saturday, with the Germans hoping to become European kings for the fifth time and the English attempting to reach the pinnacle of the game for the first time ever.

Both teams have a string of suspensions, with Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes missing three key players and Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo having to replace four.

Should Bayern win their first Champions League title since 2001, they will become the first team since Inter Milan in 1965 to lift the European Cup at home, and only the third to do so since the competition started out as the European Champions Cup in 1955-56.

The only other club to win the trophy in their home stadium were Real Madrid in 1957.

The other link with Real is that Heynckes coached Madrid to victory in 1998, and he himself would become only the fourth man to coach two different clubs to European Cup/Champions League success if Bayern are victorious.

“This is the highlight of our history,” said Bayern president Uli Hoeness, who won the biggest club prize in European football both as a Bayern player in the 1970s and as the club’s sports director in 2001.

“It is the ideal situation for us, one which will most likely be unique.”

MUNICH (Reuters) – Bayern Munich have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lift the Champions League trophy on home soil against Chelsea on Saturday, the German club’s coach Jupp Heynckes said on Friday.

Heynckes, who led Real Madrid to victory in the competition in 1998, said it was his job to give both a sense of urgency and of composure in his players.

Bayern Munich are the first team to benefit from home advantage since the Champions League was inaugurated in the 1992-93 season.

The last time a team played at home in a European Cup final was in 1984 when the visitors, Liverpool, beat AS Roma on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.

Only Real Madrid, in 1957 and Inter Milan, in 1965, have lifted the European Cup in their home stadium.

“It is an historic opportunity. We will never relive it again, to play the Champions League final in our home stadium,” said the 67-year-old coach, in his third stint at Bayern.

“We could lift the trophy for the first time in 11 years. Real’s win (in 1998) was 32 years after their last one. This is a great opportunity for us and I need to drive it through to my players.”

MUNICH, May 18 (Reuters) – Bayern Munich have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lift the Champions League trophy on home soil against Chelsea on Saturday, the German club’s coach Jupp Heynckes said on Friday.

Heynckes, who led Real Madrid to victory in the competition in 1998, said it was his job to give both a sense of urgency and of composure in his players.

Bayern Munich are the first team to benefit from home advantage since the Champions League was inaugurated in the 1992-93 season.

The last time a team played at home in a European Cup final was in 1984 when the visitors, Liverpool, beat AS Roma on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.

Only Real Madrid, in 1957 and Inter Milan, in 1965, have lifted the European Cup in their home stadium.

“It is an historic opportunity. We will never relive it again, to play the Champions League final in our home stadium,” said the 67-year-old coach, in his third stint at Bayern.

“We could lift the trophy for the first time in 11 years. Real’s win (in 1998) was 32 years after their last one. This is a great opportunity for us and I need to drive it through to my players.”