Former Chile Manager Reveals Arturo Vidal Is 'Not in Control' After World Cup Failure

Jorge Sampaoli has revealed that the Chilean national team have a number of problems within the squad that have been visible since his days as their manager, according to AS.

The 57-year-old Argentine earnt a name for himself whilst in charge of Club Universidad de Chile and was rewarded with the Chilean national team job in November 2012. 

Sampaoli went on to manage La Liga side Sevilla during the 2016/17 season, however, he returned to international football after being given the chance to take control of Argentina.

"None of them were at the right level for the qualifying campaign we had in front of us," Sampaoli said of his former side.

"[Arturo Vidal] requires a medical specialist. He likes to drink and is not in control. When we were on the plane back from Lima, he asked me if he could open a bottle of beer he had bought at the airport. I told him no, as directors and others were coming. 

"With the help of the chauffeur, he and some others still got their hands on a bottle of whisky, which I had to dismiss even though I knew that the culprit was Vidal."

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Vidal has, following Chile's failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, taken the decision to retire from international football.

"[Alexis Sánchez] wakes up with his headphones on and sits alone for breakfast, not talking to anyone," Sampaoli added about more of the Chilean squad. "[Claudio Bravo] attempts to head up the squad but it's the rest of the 'Pitillo gang' who actually lead the team."

The Pitillo gang - a group of friends in the Chile squad - include the likes of Bravo (Manchester City), Vidal (Bayern Munich), Jorge Valdivia (Colo-Colo) and Gary Medel (Beşiktaş) amongst others.