---
title: "Sampaoli – I couldn’t afford to leave Alexis out"
canonical: "https://readarsenal.com/2015/10/09/sampaoli-i-couldnt-afford-leave-alexis/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Adam Hamdani"
section: "Arsenal News"
published: "2015-10-09T11:53:46Z"
modified: "2015-10-09T11:55:05Z"
---

# Sampaoli – I couldn’t afford to leave Alexis out

Chile boss [Jorge Sampaoli has admitted](https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/arsenal-injury-news-alexis-sanchez-played-chile-win-over-brazil-despite-not-being-100-fitness-1523250?)that despite Alexis Sanchez not being 100% fit, he couldn’t afford to leave the Arsenal superstar out of the national side’s 2-0 victory over Brazil.

Alexis arrived in South America having picked up a slight injury against Manchester United in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over their Premier League rivals, where the Chilean scored twice in an electrifying opening 20 minutes at the Emirates Stadium.

With the 26-year-old in such fine club form, [Sampaoli couldn’t resist the urge](https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/arsenal-injury-news-alexis-sanchez-played-chile-win-over-brazil-despite-not-being-100-fitness-1523250?) to start the Arsenal man in his side’s World Cup qualifier against Brazil.

![Jeff Gross/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readarsenal.com/readarsenal/2015/10/4513906541.jpg)

> *Beating Brazil is great because I have never* beat *them before. It is very important for me and for all Chile. Beating Brazil is the best. Arturo and Alexis arrived not at their top fitness. They made a great effort as always. Arturo forcing himself, playing not at the percentage he can give but being there. As always. I highlight that we have to value Arturo much more than the rest because he sometimes is risking his condition as a player to be with the national team. A few players do that.*
>
> *Alexis also arrived not at his top of form, with pain in the adductor. He couldn’t play at 100% but we thought that for us him not playing was to give too much advantage to our rivals because his presence in our team makes things difficult for our opponents.*

Starting Alexis was clearly the right decision for the national side, with the former Barcelona man scoring late on to secure all three points against the five-time World Cup winners.

![Michael Regan/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readarsenal.com/readarsenal/2015/10/4912745241.jpg)

> *I hope to go to Peru with the intention to win and get the six points. We need to play well.*
>
> *We know the stadium will be against us. So we need to be an intelligent team and play a very demanding game.*

Chile next face Peru and Sampaoli admitted that he has no intentions of resting anyone, claiming that getting six points from a possible six is the most important factor for him to consider.