Objective: to make a perfect copy. Marseille plays quits or doubles, Tuesday, November 1, in the Champions League, with the reception at the Velodrome of the English from Tottenham, for the sixth and last day of the group stage. And anything is possible: a victory will send Igor Tudor’s players directly to the round of 16, when they can qualify for the knockout stages of the Europa League – provided they finish third -, but also be eliminated from all European competition. .
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Suffice to say that the pressure is immense on the shoulders of the players. And especially on those of Alexis Sanchez, the experienced center forward who arrived in the Old Port this summer, with a mission as simple as it is dangerous: to help OM shine in the Champions League. At 33, the Chilean international, former striker for Barcelona, Inter Milan or Arsenal knows these crucial Champions League meetings well, and first wishes to bring his experience. “My experience helps me to stay calm in this kind of competition to take things easy before and after the game. Everyone focuses in their own way, but that’s something I can bring to the group.”, he assures calmly. And to slip: “It is possible to win. We play at home, with our public and I have confidence in my teammates. I am here to have success with this club and write its history. It’s the same for my teammates. We work for that.”
According to him, if OM can have regrets after their three defeats conceded during the competition, Alexis Sanchez remains convinced that Marseille can snatch their qualification against the Londoners: “The football here is like English football, with a lot of physical and mental aspects and I think we are on the right track. It’s true that sometimes we lacked luck or concentration, but it was played on details“.
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Alexis Sanchez is also counting on the public at the Vélodrome, even if the stadium will be deprived of its North bend, i.e. around 13,800 supporters. The Chilean confides that he feels carried by a constant fervor: “I am very happy to be here. The supporters are great. I can’t get out of my house when I’m stopped all the time. Here, the love of the supporters is very strong. That’s also why I’m here”he said at a press conference, as a declaration of love to the supporters. And the facts are there: this season, Alexis Sanchez has already scored six times in 14 matches, including twice in the Champions League, against Sporting Portugal.