Beating Spurs was a great joy at Arsenal… now I’ll boot them out of Champions League with Marseille, says Alexis Sanchez
ALEXIS SANCHEZ is eyeing another “special” win over Tottenham.
The Chilean, who only lost once against Spurs in seven games when playing for arch-rivals Arsenal, takes on his old foe with Marseille on Tuesday night.
A defeat for Antonio Conte’s side would see them fail to reach the Champions League knock-outs and be demoted to the Europa League.
Sanchez, who also netted in a 2-1 FA Cup semi-final victory over Spurs for Manchester United in 2018, said: “I have great affection for Arsenal from my time there.
“I have some great memories with everyone at the club, especially the fans.
“Beating Spurs every time was a great joy. It was very special and those are memories that I hold dear to my heart.
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“Every single player has motivation to play and win. We all want to bring the victory back.
“In the dressing room, there is a lot of passion. Playing in front of the fans with their atmosphere is super important and that will drive us on.”
Sanchez, who was suspended for Spurs’ 2-0 win over Marseille in September, is one of FOUR players in the French giants’ ranks with close ties to Arsenal.
Sead Kolasinac and Matteo Guendouzi both left the Emirates to head to OM, while left wing-back Nuno Tavares is on loan from the Gunners.
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Sanchez also played under Tottenham boss Conte while at Inter Milan where they won Serie A together in 2021.
But the ex-Barcelona forward was frustrated by his lack of game-time under Conte at San Siro, once describing himself as like a “caged lion”.
Sanchez, who turns 34 next month, added: “We had a great experience together but he’s a very demanding coach.
“If you don’t give 100 per cent on the pitch, you’ll get dropped for the next game.”
Conte himself is suspended for Wednesday’s clash that is being dubbed the Game of the Year by the local press after his red card against Sporting Lisbon last week.
He is allowed to attend the game but cannot go into the dressing room, give a post-match press conference or speak directly to his players.
Opposite number Igor Tudor claimed his old mucker’s absence would be a big help to his side, who are bottom of Group D but can qualify for the last 16 with a win.
The Croat, who played alongside Conte at Juventus in the 90s, said: “It’s good! He has a good impact on the game so it is better that he is not there.
“But the players are playing first, not the coaches.
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“Tomorrow we have a great game ahead of us. It really is a top opportunity for the boys to reach the knock-out of the CL. We’ve had five good games so we need to build on that.
“But don’t forget we are an outsider. So any chance to get to the knock-out stage is great for us.”