Robben may miss Schalke v Bayern clash

Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal said he is unlikely to select fellow Dutchman Arjen Robben for Saturday’s Bundesliga clash against Schalke 04 because he is not fully fit.

“When a player is not 100 percent fit, he doesn’t play. It’s as simple as that,” said van Gaal.

Attacking midfielder Robben suffered a calf injury in Bayern’s 2-1 victory over Manchester United in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday.

Schalke have a two-point lead over the reigning champions, but van Gaal feels he has the man to replace Robben in Turkish midfielder Hamit Altintop.

“Hamit Altintop is practically Robben’s clone, he can do everything he does, as you saw Tuesday night (in the Champions League).”

With only five games remaining after this weekend’s fixture, Saturday’s clash could prove crucial for the outcome of the league title.

And van Gaal expects his Schalke counterpart, Felix Magath, to dig into his box of tactical tricks.

“All the team we play try to change their style, even Manchester United and Sir Alex (Ferguson), when usually English sides don’t change anything,” he added.

“That surprised me a little on Tuesday.”