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Football

13th Jan 2022

Alexis Sanchez takes aim at ex-manager Antonio Conte after scoring cup-winner

Daniel Brown

‘I was a lion in a cage, if they let me play I become a monster’

Alexis Sanchez has hit out at former Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte for not playing him enough after the forward scored the winner in the Supercoppa Italiana final.

The former Manchester United man scored in the 120th minute to help Inter beat Juventus 2-1 and win the Italian Super Cup on Wednesday.

Following his cup-winning strike, Sanchez claimed that he was a ‘caged lion’ under Conte, adding that he is a ‘monster’ when allowed to play.

As reported by Marca, he said: “Things have never gone bad for me, they just haven’t let me play.

“I was a lion in a cage, if they let me play I become a monster.

“Conte told me that nobody was like me and that I had to make a difference, but he only put me on in the last 15 minutes.”

Despite leading them to the Serie A title last season, Conte left Inter in the summer and is now in charge of Tottenham after the North London outfit sacked Nuno Espirito Santo in November.

Sanchez made 39 appearances under the Italian last campaign, however, most of them came from the bench late on in matches.

The former Arsenal and United attacker – who replaced Lautaro Martínez in the 75th minute – helped Inter to win the Supercoppa Italiana for the first time in 11 years when he prodded home from close range in the last minute of extra-time.

It was Inter’s sixth Super Cup triumph and their first since 2010.

While Sanchez criticised Conte for his lack of game time last season, the Chilean has only started four games so far this campaign, scoring four goals.

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