Alexis Sanchez says he would have won the Champions League at Man City

Alexis Sanchez does not regret turning down Man City to sign for Manchester United, but he believes he would have won the Champions League under Pep Guardiola.

The 34-year-old had a stinker of a spell at Old Trafford. He came from Arsenal in 2018, where he was club captain, and everyone thought Jose Mourinho had landed one of the best players in the Premier League.

Sanchez was… but not when he joined us. He scored just five goals in 45 appearances and became a shadow of his former self.

After a difficult 18-months he joined Inter Milan, initially on loan, in August 2019. The Chilean insists he does not regret choosing United over City, but his Champions League quip is an interesting one since Guardiola has never won the European Cup since leaving Barcelona.

“I was about to go to City,” said Sanchez, as quoted by La Tercera.

“I spoke to Guardiola every day, he told me happy birthday. He was like my dad, He was my dad at Barcelona and he was like my dad at City. We talked, we talked every day, he sent me messages.

“And everything was ready, there was a player who was going to go to Arsenal. Then [Arsenal manager Arsene] Wenger tells me you are not leaving because the other player did not want to come and they do not have another.”

In the end, it was Mourinho who persuaded Sanchez to move to United. He had already given Guardiola his word.

“Suddenly the cell phone rings. Mourinho tells me, ‘Alexis, here is the [number] seven available for you’.

“It wasn’t a money thing, so everyone knows. It was the same with United and City. And he said to me here is the seven, we are playing in the Champions League and we are going to give everything. I wanted to leave at that moment, but I had Guardiola’s word.

“That’s when I said to myself, Chilean footballer playing for Manchester United, something that has never happened. With the seven of [Eric] Cantona, [David] Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo and now a Chilean had it, it was a dream.

“I don’t regret going to United, things happen for a reason. I would have liked to have gone to City, yes. We would have won the Champions League by now [something City have failed to achieve]. In the final I would have done something.”

Sanchez joined Ligue 1 outfit Marseille last summer and has scored 16 goals in all competitions.

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