As Chile continue to celebrate their home Copa America win, the tide begins to shift from national to club football. In a penalty shootout win over Lionel Messi and Argentina, some Chilean players have been granted a rest period by their parent clubs.
A well deserved rest, but that means bad news for Arsenal. Alexis Sanchez will miss both the FA Community Shield and the beginning of the Premier League season. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said, “He’ll be back with us on the third of August and it takes about three weeks to competitve, it could take him a little bit less time, but he’ll miss our first game.”
Arsenal will take on Chelsea at Wembley Stadium August 2, just one day before Sanchez is expected to be back in the starting squad. With the forward not partaking in their pre-season tour in Asia, or their first shot at a trophy, the left wing will have a huge gap to be filled by the start of the season. Either Theo Walcott or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will fill his boots, but his blistering start in the Premier League last year will be hard to replicate.
