Alexis Sanchez says Barcelona star Lionel Messi cried after
they lost a Champions League semi-final to Chelsea in 2012. Messi missed a
penalty as the Catalans surrendered a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with the Premier
League side - who were playing with 10 men after John Terry's sending off -
which saw them lose the tie 3-2 on aggregate.
Sanchez,
who started that game for Barca, has revealed how hurt his former team-mate was
in the wake of the defeat and feels it shows the demands players place on
themselves at the highest level of the game.
The
Manchester United forward, who earns a reported £350,000-a-week at Old
Trafford, also believes players can be unfairly criticised based on the money
they earn.
"I
think football saves many people," Sanchez told Sky Sports. "It can
give you a life of luxury, but people don't see all the effort that goes in
behind the scenes.
"That
might mean not seeing your family, or missing your mother's birthday, many
players are so focused that they miss the birth of their children.
"You
might cry during a game if you lose a final. That's all part of football. In
the Barcelona dressing room after the Chelsea game, I saw Leo cry. That's
because players demand so much from themselves. People don't see that.
"Sometimes
people say things such as, 'He's got too big for his boots' or say, 'He's
changed'. You buy a flash car and people say that you're a show-off.
"I've
learnt so much over time and with the experience that I've gained. You can't
please everyone. There'll always be one or two who get angry. I've learnt so
much from playing football: I love football and that's what I do. I enjoy
myself and I'm just trying to be happy."
Sanchez's
side take on Newcastle United at St James' Park in the Premier League on
Sunday.
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