Wenger denies Sanchez rift

LONDON. – Arsene Wenger has denied any training ground rift with Alexis Sanchez.

Wenger said reports of a training ground row between Sanchez and his team-mates are also “completely false”.

The Gunners boss was yesterday responding to reports of a bust-up which led to the Chilean being dropped against Liverpool on Saturday. Wenger said yesterday: “Yes (the media reports are) completely false, but I understand you have to fill newspapers.

“When you don’t win games . . . we have to accept that.”

Wenger once again reiterated that the decision whether Sanchez would be with the club next season is entirely in Arsenal’s hands.

He added: “I explained after the game I decided to go for a more direct option, that was the unique reason for my decision.

“He’s a committed player and sometimes has excessive behaviours but you look back to the history of the same in every squad. Alexis Sanchez has 15 months on his contract so the decision will depend completely on Arsenal football club, not anyone else.”

Sanchez is believed to have had an angry exchange with fellow players after leaving training mid-session prior to Saturday’s loss at Liverpool. He was confronted by team-mates on their return to the changing room as tempers flared.

“I’m not aware, nothing happened,” said Wenger.

Sanchez was left out of the starting line-up at Anfield but came on and set up a goal for his side in the second half as Arsenal lost 3-1.

Wenger was speaking before the second leg of his side’s Champions League last-16 tie tonight at home to Bayern Munich, who lead 5-1. Sanchez took a full part in Arsenal’s training session yesterday before the game.

Asked about his relationship with the 28-year-old, the Frenchman said: “Honest and normal like with every single player.”

Reports had claimed that Wenger’s patience with Sanchez had finally snapped last week.

It was earlier claimed yesterday that Sánchez walked out of training and was involved in a bust-up with angry team-mates days before being dropped for Arsenal’s trip to Liverpool on Saturday.

The episode casts further doubt over Sánchez’s future, with Paris St-Germain the front-runners ahead of Juventus to sign the Chile striker this summer amid mounting concern over his failure to sign a new contract.

Wenger claimed after Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Liverpool that Sánchez had been dropped for tactical reasons but The Daily Telegraph yesterday revealed that it came on the back of an incident that disrupted preparations for their trip to Anfield.

It is also understood that there has been a growing sense within Arsenal that their leading scorer has been behaving selfishly with so many public displays of frustration. – The Daily Star-The Daily Telegraph.