Arsene Wenger Dropped Alexis Sanchez As Punishment - Pires Reveals

Although Arsene Wenger insisted after a 3-1 loss to Liverpool last Saturday at Anfield that he left Alexis on the bench because he wanted to play a more direct style, former Arsenal midfielder, Robert Pires says there was more to it.

Pires, who played for Arsenal between 2000 and 2006 and still regularly trains with the first team, confirms Alexis walked out of training.

“I want to be clear regarding the English media,” he told beIN SPORTS, ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League round-of-16 second-leg defeat to Bayern Munich.

“There was no fight or brawl as was written. I was there. I was at the training session and in the dressing room afterwards. Yes, there was an argument on the pitch, a bad tackle on Alexis Sanchez. He decided to leave the pitch, something that he shouldn’t have done.

“After that, certain players, among them Laurent Koscielny because he’s the captain, went to talk. But it was a verbal exchange, there were only words. They didn’t come to blows, because they are adults. They’re professionals and in the same boat.

“Unfortunately, Arsene Wenger took a decision to punish Sanchez for his behaviour by leaving him on the bench against Liverpool. Unfortunately, it didn’t go well. The fans need to understand that if there was that, it’s because something happened. Not something serious, but it was a punishment, quite simply.”