“Drawn between cheating and being clever” – Arsene Wenger speaks on Liverpool star’s role in getting Alexis Sanchez sent off in Champions League clash

Arsene Wenger speaks on Liverpool star’s role in getting Alexis Sanchez sent off in Champions League clash

Former Arsenal Boss Arsene Wenger has reacted on the role Fabinho played in Alexis Sanchez’s sending off during Inter Milan’s UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie against Liverpool in Anfield.

Mo Salah and Lautaro Martinez after scoring the winner for inter Milan at Anfield (photo by Getty images)

Alexis Sanchez was sent off for Inter Milan after two yellow card offenses, with referee Antonio Lahoz adjudging the forward to have gone on a bad challenge on Fabinho.

But the former Arsenal manager has criticized the Brazilian midfielder, accusing that Fabinho cheated to get Wenger’s former striker sent off.

Wenger said (via Daily Mail):

“He was cheating, he made more of it. Maybe he had pain, he was touched by Sanchez. You cannot say it was completely fake.”

Wenger continued:

“Maybe he could have got up quicker. It’s one of those fouls, when it’s one of your plays you say it’s clever, when you’re completely neutral like we’re supposed to be you can say he could have made less of it. He didn’t want to hurt him, he played first the ball.”

Despite Inter Milan winning the game 1-0 after Lauturo Martinez’s second-half strike, Liverpool made it through, winning the tie 2-1 on aggregate.

But Wenger felt Lahoz’s performance in the second-leg killed the game.