Arjen Robben psv: Robben's Groningen comeback ends in injury
The winger made history in returning to his former club after 16 years away, but it was to prove a short-lived reunion
Arjen Robben's emotional return to Groningen lasted less than half an hour on Sunday as he was forced out of his comeback match with injury.
Arjen Robben was given the nod to break a record set by Robin van Persie as he was named in Groningen's team for their Eredivisie clash with PSV.
Former Netherlands star Robben announced his retirement from football in 2019 after leaving Bayern Munich, having enjoyed a glittering spell of 10 seasons with the Bundesliga giants.
However, in an attempt to help Groningen recover from the impact of COVID-19, the veteran winger confirmed he would be returning to the club where he began his career for the 2020-21 season.
On Sunday, the 36-year-old was named in Groningen's XI for their first league match of the campaign, which saw him overtake his old Oranje team-mate Van Persie in the Eredivisie record books.
It proved a short stint for the ex-Bayern, Chelsea and Real Madrid ace, though, who was taken off with an apparent muscular complaint in the first half.
Robben sat down on the pitch 29 minutes into the game in some discomfort and asked for the substitution, eventually limping off to be replaced by Tomas Suslov.
PSV took full advantage, opening the scoring through Cody Gakpo less than five minutes later to secure a 1-0 lead at half-time.
Arjen Robben gaat zijn officiële rentree maken voor FC Groningen!
Robben's Eredivisie comeback, against another of his former teams, comes after an absence of 16 years and 155 days from the Dutch league.
Van Persie spent 13 years and 267 days away from the Eredivisie between his two spells at Feyenoord, which was previously the longest time between appearances in the competition.
Groningen finished ninth in the Eredivisie last season, with the campaign cut short due to coronavirus.
They will now be hoping that Robben's early exit was a consequence of his long period of inaction, with Sunday's clash his first competitive game in over two years; and that he escaped serious injury in this curtailed return.
