Everybody knows the Premier League is a global business these days but Chilean fans will have a particular interest in events at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Manuel Pellegrini is the man charged with finding the right blend as Manchester City look to retain their title, while Arsenal’s hopes surely rest on the extraordinary efforts of their star man Alexis Sanchez.
Pellegrini is among those marvelling at the impact of his compatriot. “I am very happy for him,” he toldAS this week. “At the moment, he is the big star of English football.” But it’s not only in England that Sanchez has been warmly embraced while Pellegrini finds himself viewed with respect of a chillier variety. The feeling in Chile is very similar.
Popular backing
There can be no shock, of course, that it’s Sanchez who has the popular backing. The effervescent forward has been capturing the imagination from Seven Sisters to Santiago. But the ambivalence towards Pellegrini might be a surprise to those who imagine him as a hero in his homeland, having enjoyed success in Spain and conquered the Premier League at the first attempt.
Pellegrini himself tells a self-deprecating anecdote about the moment that prompted him to retire as a player. It’s one that also hints at the limitations still held against him. Outjumped by Ivan Zamorano, he felt his time was up. After the 17-year-old went on to stardom with Real Madrid, Pellegrini joked: “Had I known, I might not have quit so soon.” But the memory of a sluggish centre-back has stuck.
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