Alexis Sanchez recently spoke with Arsenal’s official website about the importance of down time away from football.

The Chilean is known for his unrivalled work ethic, which, at times, has given Gooners and probably Arsene Wenger cause for concern.

While it’s fantastic to have a player who always wants to be on the pitch, helping the team, when their fitness could suffer as a result, there comes a time when the coach has to step in.

Saying this, the 27-year-old seems to believe that having time away from football is a good thing. He spends time with his dogs, for example, who most will be aware of because of his unwavering love for them shown through his Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BN4Yx0_gHOa/?taken-by=alexis_officia1&hl=en

Like most of us, he also listens to music.

“Our minds are always focused on football,” the forward said.

“Sometimes you must put football aside for a while and put your attention on some other things. I am not a keyboard expert but I find it helps me to de-stress.”

It’s good to hear that Alexis doesn’t take football so seriously that it takes over his life. He’s still human and escaping the stress that he must be under at times is beneficial, especially given the ongoing negotiations with Arsenal over a potential contract extension.

When asked about the situation ahead of the Gunners’ trip to Everton, Arsene Wenger said:

“What my head and my heart is telling me is: don’t talk about it anymore!”