Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte is not one to shy away from how he feels. The former Blues Boss is known to tell his players “as it is” and sometimes rain insults on them to motivate them in some word reverse psychology way. It has appeared Conte has now use this technique to criticise Manchester United loanee Alexis Sanchez’s fitness after the Chilean was left on the bench for a second successive game.
Sanchez, on a season-long loan from United, has not played for Inter since his ankle injury in September. Before that, he had scored one and assisted another in four appearances.
Sanchez has been named on the bench in Inter’s last two Serie A fixtures , a 3-1 win at Napoli and 1-1 draw against Atalanta. Though he is yet to make an appearance since returning.
After the Atalanta game, Inter boss Conte was asked why he didn’t bring Sanchez on, and he provided a critical assessment of his fitness.
“You mention Sanchez, well gentlemen, players must be fit to play,” Conte said.
“If I put someone out of our line-up it is for a reason. It is not about performing a hara-kiri or because I am a mad man” the Italian giants boss chimed in.
Sanchez was an unused substitute in the draw with Atalanta, as he was in the previous match as Inter won at Napoli.
The former Arsenal man underwent ankle surgery in October damaging the peroneus longus tendon while playing for Chile.
That kept him out of action until the new year, but he is yet to regain sufficient fitness to be risked from the start by Conte.
