NOTHIN’ YET SANCHEZ:
I missed out on my dream at Barca... now I want it with United
aLEXiS SancHEZ says he is desperate to help Manchester United win the champions League – after missing out on it at Barcelona.
The 30-year-old striker hopes s to face Paris Saint-Germain at t Old Trafford on Tuesday night in n their last-16 tie.
But the former Arsenal and d Barca forward admits that lifting the Champions League trophy is a long-held dream that has been narrowly out of reach.
Barca won the trophy the year before Sanchez signed from Udinese in a £30million deal in n August 2011 and then lifted it t again the season after he moved d to Arsenal in 2014.
So, although the Chilean has played in two semi-finals and one quarter-final, he’s still waiting to lift the trophy himself. He said: “The Champions League is a dream for any footballer. I lived with that dream at Barcelona and saw what it was like.
“I hope I can win it one day and why not here? We have got through the group stage and PSG is next. It’s a big test, but it’s 180 minutes of football – anything can happen.”
There’s no doubt that before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over from Jose Mourinho, United would have been underdogs.
But, with an astonishing run of 11 matches unbeaten which includes 10 wins and a draw under the Norwegian, Sanchez believes new-look United can turn the French champions over.
He insisted: “United is a club with so much history and is capable of beating any rival. If we win at Old Trafford and we don’t concede, then I think we would be favourites for the second leg.
“I think we can do that and I see this United team with a lot of chances to score in Paris.”
Victory over PSG would be an e emotional result – not just for U United fans, but also for France W World Cup winner Paul Pogba (l (left), who has been transformed u under Solskjaer following a rocky start s to the campaign.
And Sanchez is impressed by Reds’ revitalised midfield general. He added: “Paul Pogba is i still young, but he is a great p player who has to be trusted in th the team. Now I see him far more in involved and playing well. There’s a great atmosphere at the club.”
United’s transformation under Solskjaer has been remarkable, but Sanchez refuses to give away any Old Trafford secrets.
“People keep saying the way things have changed is like a miracle,” he said. “But I do not believe in miracles. I only believe in work and more work – and that’s what we’ve done.”