Robben limps out of crucial Chelsea games

Arjen Robben gave Chelsea a major headache yesterday when he was ruled out for at least two weeks with an ankle injury.

Arjen Robben gave Chelsea a major headache yesterday when he was ruled out for at least two weeks with an ankle injury.

The winger limped off after 25 minutes of the Netherlands' 2-0 win over Romania in Bucharest on Saturday and a scan yesterday revealed that Robben had suffered ankle ligament damage and will miss the game against Armenia on Wednesday in Eindhoven.

More importantly for his club, Robben will miss the Premiership matches against Southampton and Birmingham and is likely to sit out both legs of the Champions' League quarter-final against Bayern Munich.

Robben, who has only recently returned to action for Chelsea following a foot injury, said: "I am starting to get really angry about these injuries."

The Arsenal forward Thierry Henry is still nursing the calf strain that kept him out of France's goalless draw with Switzerland on Saturday and remains doubtful for the World Cup Group Four qualifier against Israel in Tel Aviv on Wednesday.

Fan violence before, during and after a friendly in Slovenia on Saturday left Germans fearing a revival of football hooliganism as the country prepares to host the 2006 World Cup.

In Berlin yesterday, the German Football Association moved quickly to apologise to Slovenia after German fans smashed windows of cars and restaurants while shouting racist slogans in the Slovenian city of Celje before the match.

There was violence at the stadium where German fans hurled flares on to the pitch and clashed with local police.