Chile Manager Says Alexis Sanchez Could Be Out 'For 2 or 3 Months'
Oct 14, 2019
ALICANTE, SPAIN - OCTOBER 12: Alexis Sanchez of Chile runs with the ball during the International friendly match between Colombia and Chile at Estadio Jose Rico Perez on October 12, 2019 in Alicante, Spain. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Chile manager Reinaldo Rueda said on Monday that Alexis Sanchez may need to undergo surgery and could miss up to three months of action after suffering an ankle injury against Colombia on Saturday.
Rueda told reporters that Sanchez's club side, Inter Milan, will now decide how best to proceed with the forward, who joined the club on a season-long loan from Manchester United in August.
"He could end up under the knife. Inter, his club, will decide," he said. "We could lose him for two or three months. It's a shame because he had started playing again with Inter and scored two goals while also playing in the Champions League. He was happy and super motivated. Now we have to wait for these decisive hours."
Sanchez picked up the injury in a challenge from Juan Cuadrado during their friendly and has been diagnosed by the Football Federation of Chile as having suffered a "dislocation of the tendons" in the left ankle, per Football Italia.
The news will be a fresh setback to the forward, who has endured a miserable time since leaving Arsenal for Manchester United in January 2018. Sanchez struggled with poor form and injuries during his spell at Old Trafford and managed just five goals in 45 appearances for the Red Devils.
Journalist Tom McDermott has described his signing as one of the worst of all time:
Still ongoing, the Sanchez #MUFC deal has to be up there with the worst in football history.
The 30-year-old moved to Inter Milan in September on a loan deal until the end of June. Manchester United are believed to be "subsidising" his weekly wages of £400,000 a week, according to BBC Sport.
Sanchez had enjoyed an eventful start to life in Serie A. His first start for his new club saw him score and get sent off in a 3-1 Serie A win over Sampdoria:
He started again in Inter's 2-1 defeat to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League. He produced an assist and put in a lively showing against his former team at the Camp Nou.
Yet Inter may have to wait to see Sanchez in action again. The injury will be a source of frustration for both club and player, who will be hoping he can get his career back on track in Italy.
Copa America 2019: Odds, TV Schedule, Live Stream, Prediction for Monday Match
Jun 17, 2019
Chile will begin their Copa America defence against guest team Japan on Monday at the Estadio do Morumbi in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
La Roja are the two-time reigning South American champions after winning the tournament back-to-back in 2015 and 2016.
Meanwhile, Japan are making their second appearance as an invited team, having also participated in the 1999 edition.
Date: Monday, June 17
Time: 8 p.m. local (7 p.m. ET, 12 a.m. BST Tuesday)
Japan have named a young squad and are evidently using the tournament as a way to get valuable experience ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
Only five players are older than 22, and only seven of their 23 players have been capped at all.
Much of their experience will come from Shinji Okazaki, who has 50 goals in 116 appearances for the Samurai Blue, and goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima, who has 88 caps to his name.
Otherwise, all eyes will be on 18-year-old Takefusa Kubo, who has just joined Real Madrid from FC Tokyo.
Scouted Football ran the rule over the promising youngster:
Before he makes the move to Madrid, Kubo is going to the Copa América.
Japan - one of two guest teams at the tournament - have taken a young squad to South America; it seems likely that he'll get some minutes in Brazil. He only made his senior international debut last Sunday. pic.twitter.com/0ETsvpqecB
Chile's squad is almost the polar opposite to Japan's, with six players boasting more than 100 international appearances apiece.
Only one player is under the age of 24—goalkeeper Yerko Urra, 22, who is likely to be their third choice—and eight are 30 or older.
Chile will hope their experienced side can take them to a historic victory:
2 - Chile 🇨🇱 have won each of the last two Copa America tournaments (2015 and 2016) – if they win on this occasion, they will be just the second team to win three in a row, after Argentina in 1945, 1946 and 1947. Dream.#CopaAmericapic.twitter.com/SDY8P5xll7
However, many of their best players, such as Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal, are now past their prime. They failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup last year as a result.
It seems unlikely therefore that they will win the Copa for a third tournament running.
Their experience should give them an edge over a Japan side that includes many players tasting senior international football for the first time, though.
