“People don’t see that” - When Alexis Sanchez opened up on finding Lionel Messi crying in dressing room

Former Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez opened up in 2018 about how he once found Lionel Messi crying in the Barcelona dressing room following their UEFA Champions League (UCL) loss against Chelsea. Sanchez also delved into how players can be unreasonably criticized based on their wages.

Sanchez plied his trade alongside Lionel Messi at Barcelona between 2011 and 2014. While they achieved great success together, they shared a painful memory in 2012 when the Blaugrana were knocked out of the UCL following their semi-final defeat against Chelsea.

The Blues had won the first leg 1-0 at Stamford Bridge, giving them the advantage going into the second leg at Camp Nou on April 25, 2012. Despite Chelsea playing with 10 men for most of the game following John Terry's sending-off, they secured a thrilling 2-2 draw to win the tie 3-2 on aggregate.

Lionel Messi missed a penalty during the game which indirectly led to Barcelona's exit. Sanchez, who started the game as well, told Sky Sports in 2018 (via Hindustan Times):

"I think football saves many people. It can give you a life of luxury, but people don’t see all the effort that goes in behind the scenes. That might mean not seeing your family, or missing your mother’s birthday, many players are so focused that they miss the birth of their children."

He added:

“You might cry during a game if you lose a final. That’s all part of football. In the Barcelona dressing room after the Chelsea game, I saw Leo cry. That’s because players demand so much from themselves. People don’t see that. Sometimes people say things such as, ‘He’s got too big for his boots’ or say, ‘He’s changed’. You buy a flash car and people say that you’re a show-off."

Despite their heartbreak against Chelsea, Alexis Sanchez and Lionel Messi won six trophies together at Barcelona, including one LaLiga title.

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How did Lionel Messi fare during his time at Barcelona?

Lionel Messi established himself as arguably the greatest player ever during his time at Barcelona. Let's take a look at his stats to see the impact he had at the club between 2004 and 2021.

Messi scored 672 goals and provided 303 assists in 778 appearances across all competitions, helping the Blaugrana win 34 trophies, including a mammoth 10 LaLiga titles and four UEFA Champions Leagues. He also won seven Ballons d'Or during his time with Barcelona.

However, in a shocking turn of events, Messi became a free agent after his contract expired in the summer of 2021. Barcelona announced that the Argentine ace would not be staying at the club due to their financial woes and LaLiga regulations, leading to his departure to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

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