Inter forward Alexis Sanchez feels that his dramatic late winner in the Supercoppa Italiana against Juventus was a vindication of his talents.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster SportMediaset after the match, the Chilean emphasized that he has been waiting for a moment like this to show his talent and what he can contribute to the club.
Sanchez’s season so far has not always been straightforward, with the 33-year-old having to return from a calf injury which ruled him out of the first few weeks of the season and then not always in form or a regular in the team.
However, he has earned a place in the side in recent weeks, and after starting against Lazio over the weekend he came off the bench to impact the game against the Biancocelesti this evening.
As it turned out, the introduction of the Chilean was a very impactful one indeed, as he capped off a fine display in the best way possible, by scoring the winner with virtually the last kick of the game.
“Top players are like this,” he reflected on his goal, “the more they play, the more they show that they can do things that others cannot.”
“That’s how it was today,” he went on. “I started against Lazio and I thought I’d have the chance to start here as well/ The coach made his decision, and today we were hungry to win a trophy.
Sanchez emphasized that “We must keep going like this. We belong among the top teams and we can’t let up. We have to keep going.”
“I’ve never felt in bad form, I just haven’t been given a chance to play,” he stated. “I’m like a caged lion. If I’m given a chance to play, I’m unleashed. The more I play the more I gain form.”
“And then I have to gain the trust and the respect of the coach,” he continued. “Conte would come and tell me that no one else here plays the way that I do.”
“Then he would tell me he’d have me play the last 15-20 minutes because it makes the difference, but that I make it a very hard decision for him,” he concluded.
