Alexis SA?nchez stormed out of an Arsenal training session last week and was involved in a dressing-room slanging match with some of his team-mates.
The Chilean star Sanchez was dropped for Saturday’s Liverpool game as a disciplinary measure after falling out with Arsene Wenger and storming out of a training session during the week, several British newspapers reported on Sunday.
Wenger surprisingly dropped Sanchez to the bench for the crucial clash at Anfield before bringing him on in the second half of the 3-1 loss, when the Gunners were already 2-0 down.
While Wenger said the decision was based on tactical reasons, newspaper reports Sunday evening said it was because the Arsenal boss had lost patience with the star striker’s attitude in recent weeks. The Guardian and Telegraph both reported that Sanchez stormed out of a training session during the week and then clashed with teammates in the dressing room.
Sanchez’s Future in Doubt
Sanchez’s future at the club had already been in serious doubt as he has refused to sign a contract extension, and the fallout with Wenger only increases the likelihood of the Chilean leaving the club this summer.
It’s the latest blow for the Gunners, which comes on the heels of big losses to Chelsea in the Premier League and Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
The situation with SA?nchez represents the latest dark cloud for Arsenal. The club have lost four of their past six matches in all competitions a including the 5-1 defeat at Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie. The second leg is at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.
Mesut Ozil’s Future Hangs in Balance Too
The future of Mesut Azil, who is widely considered to be the teamas only other worldaclass player, is in doubt. Like SA?nchez, he will have only 12 months to run on his contract in the summer and is also nowhere near to agreeing to fresh terms. Azil was unavailable at Anfield with flu but he has been badly off-colour when he has played of late.
Wenger was ridiculed for the decision to drop SA?nchez, who has scored 17 league goals this season a and 20 overall a and he said that it was not one he took lightly. He added, after the game, that it was one he was prepared to stand by.
a?I donat deny Alexis SA?nchez is a great player,a? Wenger said. a?A decision like that is not easy to make. You have to stand up for it. I wanted to play two players who were strong in the air and then bring SA?nchez on in the second half.a?
