There was one prominent figure who failed to join in the collective sigh of anguish echoing around the Bayern Munich dressing room as they were handed the task of getting past Manchester United in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Arjen Robben has been a leading star for Bayern Munich

While Bavarian despair appeared to be the prevailing emotion as revived Bundesliga giants Bayern were thrown into path of Sir Alex Ferguson's rampant United team, Arjen Robben prefers to reflect on personal experience as he prepares for a meeting with the team he so nearly joined in the summer of 2004.

Rejecting the advances of Ferguson and United is a mistake few recover from, yet Robben seemed to get the better of the deal as his three years as a Chelsea player saw him claim two Premier League titles and cup triumphs galore as Jose Mourinho's side conclusively knocked United off the top of the English football charts.

His unbeaten record of three wins from the four games he played against United in Chelsea blue included a famous occasion that saw Mourinho's team clinch the 2006 Premier League title, not to mention the FA Cup Final triumph at Wembley a year later, so fear is not an emotion running through Robben as he relishes the prospect of reacquainting himself with the English champs. "I sensed there was some disappointment when Bayern were drawn to play United, but I can see good omens for me in this game," says Robben, whose stunning goal against Fiorentina earlier this month secured his side's passage to the quarter-final spot. "My memories of matches against United are all good because I always used to do well against them during my time with Chelsea and there are a couple of obvious reasons for this.

"First of all, I get fired up for the big games and every match against United is in that category. Also, they have always an open style of play that suits me as they give you a chance to play if you have the ability and confidence to attack them.

"This team have always had great players and generally win matches because they have more ability than their opponents and they are not a team who like to come and shut an opponent down, so I like this style of game. It is open and gives me some space.

"My motivation has nothing to do with the fact that United tried to sign me once as I have great respect for Sir Alex, but I am happy with the choice I made. I won lots of trophies and had great times with Chelsea, so I see a game against this opponent as an exciting challenge, not one to be frightened by. When I play, it's always been according to my intuition and, since I have been at Bayern, it has not let me down."

Back in the day, when Robben was ripping opponents apart along with Damien Duff in Mourinho's first season at Chelsea, Roman Abramovich's expensively assembled side had the flair and panache that has so often been lacking in the years since.

Robben's move to Real Madrid in 2007 brought him limited success both personally and within a team that often struggled to find consistency before he was forced to deal with the indignity of being ushered out of the door against his wishes last summer.

Arjen Robben celebrates with Franck Ribery

However, Robben's move to Munich has reinvigorated his career and, in a flashback to his deadly partnership with Duff, free-scoring Robben is now terrorising defences alongside another thrilling wide player in Frenchman Franck Ribery. Between them, Bayern's 'wing wonders' are Van Gaal's chief threat as he plots United's downfall.

"I'm sure many in England will see this tie as a foregone conclusion, but we have to prove them wrong," he says. "I agree that Manchester United are the favourites to go through as they have been in the last two Champions League finals and won it once.

"They know what it takes to go all the way and their mentality is good and strong, but that's not to say we have no chance. Bayern is not the sort of club which easily accepts what it is given. When others think we are sure to lose, that's the moment we're at our most dangerous.

"Before the draw for the quarter-finals, I said I'd rather avoid Barcelona and Manchester United as I think those clubs are the best - the most complete in Europe at the moment - and yet I'm not fearful about what could happen in Munich or Manchester.

"Favourites don't always win and at Bayern we have a lot of momentum in our favour. Our sloppy form of the beginning of the season is long gone and we've found a great working formula for success. Also, our confidence is sky-high these days.

"My feeling is that Bayern are on the verge of a great era and winning this tie could signal the start of that. We certainly won't be overawed by United and there is no reason why we should be. Bayern have world-class players with experience at the highest level and, in Van Gaal, we have a coach who has won the Champions League and has all the experience.

"This Bayern team should not be underestimated and the idea that we are just about me and Franck, with the nine other guys coming along for the ride, is not true. Sure, our job is to supply some fantasy, but our coach always talks about an effective team unit.

"For me, our key man in this tie against United may just be Van Gaal. He will analyse their game over and over and I trust him all the way to produce just the right plan for us to go through."


Wayne Rooney has been inspirational this season for Manchester United

Stopping the irrepressible United hit-man Wayne Rooney would appear to be the best plan the experienced Van Gaal could come up with ahead of this heavyweight quarter-final, though Robben suggests United are much more than a one-man team.

"I realise everyone in England is crazy about Rooney at the moment and he deserves all the praise he is getting as he has to be rated with the best match-winners in world football," he says. "However, I don't agree with those who say he carries United on his own.

"He's in fantastic form and I love the way he wants to be everywhere on the pitch, but it's always a mistake to concentrate on just one player for the opposition.

"United have high-class all over the pitch. From my friend Van der Sar in goal to Vidic, Ferdinand and Evra at the back, to Giggs, Carrick, Fletcher and Park in midfield and Berbatov and Nani in attack, the is danger to us everywhere. Still, we will threaten them as well."

Confidence is often a key ingredient when you reach this decisive moment in the Champions League script and that elusive commodity may just be the most dangerous ingredient that has been injected into Robben this season.

As United have found to their cost in the past, this is one player who seems to be inspired rather than intimidated by their presence.

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By Nick Bidwell