COMMENT: It seems Alexis Sanchez has cracked. But can you blame him?
He has been copping it from everywhere lately. First it was from the Gooners and press after his dreadful display at Liverpool and then the failed move to Manchester City on deadline day.
Unfortunately, that day coincided with Chile's embarrassing 3-0 defeat to Paraguay at home. The loss to Bolivia on Tuesday only made it worse, with La Roja's Russia aspirations teetering on oblivion. Even his former Chile youth coach had a pop, saying he was 'fat' and underprepared because of the City transfer saga.
So sitting on the plane from Santiago to London, when a few moments of solitary reflection had been awarded, Sanchez grabbed his phone, clicked on Instagram and wrote: "You get tired of being criticised without reason.
"You get tired of those who want you to lose, you get tired of saying to yourself 'I'll get up again' after crying after a defeat.
"And you get tired of telling the world and people who are with you, that everything is going well.
"And the worst, that no one ever realises how that makes you feel ... I have the No 7 of Chile on my back and it is a huge responsibility, that's why I'm sorry that journalists and bad people criticise without knowing…"
Has Sanchez's declaration earned him sympathy in England? Not a chance. He has been lambasted by critics and fans alike for his perceived whinge. However, this interpretation doesn't take into account the character of Chile's second-most capped player.
Born in the impoverished town of Tocopilla, situated 100 miles north of Santiago, tucked in between the mountains and the coast, Sanchez lived his childhood without a father, who abandoned the family when Alexis was young.
Sanchez told El Pais in 2013: "I'd say to my mum: 'Don't worry, I'll be a footballer and everything will work out—we'll have money,' and she would laugh. I would promise gifts, cars and houses to my friends, too."
His dream was built playing on the streets, usually bare-footed, until the town's mayor handed him his first pair of boots when he was 15 after becoming enamoured with the boy's talent.
It wasn't long before Alexis made his way up, first to Corbeloa, then Colo-Colo, River Plate, Udinese, Barcelona and finally, to the Emirates.
It has been in London where the boy they call El Nino Maravilla or 'The Wonder Kid' has become a man. In his three seasons with the Gunners, Alexis has won the Player of the Year award - including last season's. He was awarded the Golden Ball - given to the best player of the tournament - at Copa America 2016 - a tournament that featured his ex-Barca teammates Messi and Neymar. He's easily in the top 15 players in the world. A warrior. A fighter. A match-winner.
And despite his fractured emotional state, you won't find Sanchez slagging off Arsenal or Wenger in the press. You won't find him slumming around the bars and nightclubs of Soho.
"He doesn't like going out, isn't interested in nightclubs," explains former Chile director Juan Carlos Berliner. "From a very young age, the kid wanted to be the best player in the world. And for him, being at nightclubs isn't compatible with being the best in the world."
What people have forgot about Alexis is that all he cares about is football and winning. That's why he wanted to move to City, not because he sought out a ridiculous contract, but because they have a genuine chance to compete in England and Europe. Does Arsenal have that same chance?
The 28-year old hasn't handed in a transfer request like his peers Philippe Coutinho and Virgil van Dijk, nor has he gone into exile like Chelsea's Diego Costa.
All the hype over his rant foreshadowed a post he sent out immediately after. It contained a simple message: 'Back home. Focused'.
And that's what you will receive, Gooners. The young, humble kid for the Chilean mountains, working his backside off to strive for his ultimate goal. To become the best player in the world. And who knows, maybe the Gunners can get back on track with their superstar firing.
