Last Tuesday I was watching the first leg of the UEFA Champions League 8th final between Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain. I must say that the result of the match completely surprised me, since I did not expect such dominance from the Parisian team. But that's not the point, what I want to point out is that after the injury of Jesse Lingard a player entered the field who has become a complete stranger, not only in Old Trafford, but for the world of football in general: Alexis Sánchez .
18 months ago, talking about Alexis Sanchez was talking about one of the best strikers in the world and perhaps the most decisive of the entire Premier League. During the 4 seasons that the Chilean wore the shirt of Arsenal became the leader and reference of the team, scoring 80 goals in 166 games. If Arsenal was good, it was thanks to Alexis. If Arsenal was wrong, it was because nobody helped Alexis. During that time, for me, Arsenal was the "FC Alexis Sánchez" and not because of any individualistic delirium of the Chilean, but because it seemed that Alexis was playing alone. In attack he had to do everything. Sometimes I felt sorry to see that a player with the quality and talent of Alexis was practically being wasted on a pathetic team like Wenger's Arsenal, where he could not aspire to anything important no matter how hard he tried.
Of that Alexis leader, referent and scorer we went to the lamentable image that we see today. A footballer who, since arriving in Manchester in January 2018, seems to have forgotten how to play soccer. Lost, out of focus, distracted; When I see Alexis today I find it hard to believe that he is the same player who drove crazy defenses a little less than a year ago. I see it and it is something unintelligible, incomprehensible and even inexplicable.
At first it could be understood that it might be difficult for him to adapt to a new team after reaching mid-season, but with the passing of the matches and the months we have come across a clear reality: Alexis Sánchez died as a footballer. This does not mean that he can not resuscitate, but from what we have seen until the moment of the Chilean it seems very difficult.
And especially when I see Solksjaer at a press conference saying that he can not do anything to recover Alexis Sánchez, that makes me confirm the seriousness of his situation. I find it inexplicable that, since the Norwegian took over the United bench, all the players in the squad have significantly improved their performance minus Alexis. That is, when Mourinho was still there, we could attribute his bad performance to the fact that the Portuguese was making life impossible for him and the whole team; but without Mou in between there is no excuse.
Alexis is one of the weirdest things I have ever seen a footballer in my life, I find it unbelievable that you can go from being a global superstar to this state so unfortunate without any kind of coherent explanation. Because Alexis did not have adaptation problems, there is a DT that trusts him and helps him, has not suffered an injury so significant as to justify his bad game, nor any personal problem that is affecting him.
When I look at Alexis Sánchez, what I see is an unhappy person. And when you're unhappy, it's just not you. I see someone that his body is present, but his mind does not, as if he yearns to be somewhere else or regrets a decision made. I think what reflects the case of Alexis is that money is not everything in life. The Chilean wanted to go to Manchester City and reconnect with Pep Guardiola, but a slightly larger offer from Manchester United combined with the temptation to be the highest paid player in the Premier League could beat his wishes.
Today, 14 months later, I think Alexis is deeply sorry for having gone to United and knowing that in the City he would be the same as always. I have no doubt that Alexis Sanchez, who is someone much better than Riyad Mahrez, would have triumphed without problems on the other side of Manchester and would have become a citizen idol. But now nothing can be done. As Solksjaer said, Alexis must find himself and that is something that depends solely and exclusively on him.
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