Express & Star

Villa's Leandro Bacuna: I can handle Sanchez

Published
Last updated

Aston Villa full-back Leandro Bacuna insists he can handle facing Arsenal hot-shot Alexis Sanchez in the FA Cup final.

more

The 23-year-old Dutchman has been boss Tim Sherwood's preferred man in the right-back slot over recent weeks and is likely to be handed the unenviable task of keeping Sanchez quiet at Wembley.

Sanchez has scored 24 goals in all competitions since his £30million move from Barcelona to the Gunners last summer.

But Bacuna, who has been converted from a winger by Sherwood, is in confident mood.

[related_posts title="More on Aston Villa and Leandro Bacuna"]

He said: "Naturally, I like to go forward, so to go back and defend as well is quite hard.

"But if a player comes up one against one with me, I maybe know what he is going to do because I have been a winger before.

"I know it's going to be a tough test against Alexis Sanchez, I know he is skilful so it will be hard to play against him. But I am not afraid."

[comments_cta header="What do you think?" text="Will Aston Villa's Leandro Sanchez shackle Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez in the FA Cup final?" button="Log in and start commenting"]

Bacuna, who joined Villa from Groningen in 2013, has featured prominently since Sherwood's arrival in February.

But he admits to considering his future at the club after featuring only sparingly under Paul Lambert during the first half of the campaign.

He said: "I wasn't playing so I was speaking to my agent saying 'what next, what do I need to do?'

"It wasn't going well for us, as a team, so it was a case of waiting to see if a new manager came in and there would be a new start.

"The gaffer came in and it changed for me, I got some more minutes."