Sanchez feeling the 'love' to ignite Chile's campaign

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil - "All you need is love" sung The Beatles in their 1967 release of the same name.

According to Chile coach Reinaldo Rueda, that's what's been missing from Manchester United misfit Alexis Sanchez' game over the past 18 months.

Over three and a half seasons with Arsenal following his $44 million move from Barcelona - where he had to make way for the arrival of Uruguay's Luis Suarez from Liverpool - Sanchez built a reputation as one of the most feared forwards in the English Premier League.

He was twice voted Arsenal's player of the year and featured in the 2014-15 Premier League team of the year.

But in his 18 months with United, Sanchez has lost both form and confidence, and now the EPL giant is reportedly desperate to offload him and his reported weekly salary of $505,000.

Yet Sanchez has shown signs of his old self at the Copa America, where he scored the winning shootout penalty against Colombia to send Chile into a semifinal meeting with neighbor Peru, on Wednesday.

He also netted in Chile's opening two matches, victories over Japan and Ecuador, meaning he's scored more in this month-long competition than he did in last season's entire Premier League campaign for United.

According to Rueda, it boils down to one thing that is missing from his life in rainy Manchester: "Love."

"In the national team and because of the attention they receive, the players don't want to leave," said the Colombian coach, who has not endeared himself to Chile fans by leaving out popular goalkeeper Claudio Bravo from his Copa squad.

"Despite not playing for their clubs, they come here with commitment and forge a strong group."

Sanchez is a hero in his country, having been one of the stars of Chile's back-to-back Copa victories in 2015 and 2016 - the only ones in the nation's history.

Wonder Kid

Sanchez, known as El Nino Maravilla - The Wonder Kid - in his homeland, is Chile's all-time scoring leader with 43 goals. He's even starred in a movie about his life.

As well as scoring the winning penalty against Colombia, he netted the decisive goal in the 2-1 triumph over Ecuador and helped pad the scoreline late in the 4-0 thumping of Japan.

In Manchester, he managed just one Premier League goal in 20 appearances, although only nine of those were as a starter.

He looked lost most of the time in the red shirt of United, rarely able to link up effectively with his teammates or produce any of the pace and trickery that was a feature of his career at Udinese, Barcelona and Arsenal.

But he's not alone in putting behind him a disappointing club season to thrive with his national team.

Colombia's James Rodriguez, seemingly unwanted by either his parent club Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, where he spent the past two seasons on loan, was all creativity and ingenuity with Colombia in Brazil until it lost to Chile.

And Philippe Coutinho, jeered by Barcelona's fans and pilloried by the notoriously demanding Catalan media, scored a brace in Brazil's opener against Bolivia and remains an unconditional starter in coach Tite's team.

But while they can be underappreciated at their European clubs, they remain adored by their countries' fans.

"That's why players like Coutinho, James or Alexis, who didn't have a great season, become themselves again with the national team," said Rueda.

"The treatment that is given to the players as professionals and as people generates the kind of reciprocity that compels them to give their all on the pitch."

In his current form, Sanchez looks not only capable of leading Chile to an unprecedented third straight Copa title, but is putting himself in the spotlight to earn a move to one of Europe's giants and end his United nightmare.

Agence France - Presse