Montevideo: Uruguay defender Jorge Fucile has blasted Chile striker Alexis Sanchez over his conduct, accusing him of being “mentally weak”.

Sanchez recently played a stellar role in guiding his country to the Copa America title, its first major football trophy in 99 years. But his superb display didn’t quite win over everyone’s affections as Fucile launched an astonishing attack on the star.

The defender was sent off for a second bookable offence during Uruguay’s Copa America quarter-final defeat to Chile after lunging in to a late tackle on Sanchez.

“I touched the ball first, any other forward would have jumped in that moment. It seems that this guy is mentally weak. I was running and I couldn’t stop myself, so I kicked him. When the match was 0-0, this guy was missing in action,” the 30-year old defender was quoted as saying by goal.com on Wednesday.

Fucile expressed his angered at Sanchez’s behaviour during the game. Chile defeated Uruguay 1-0, Securing a late goal in an ill-tempered game.

“We talked during the match, but what happens on the pitch, stays on the pitch. I don’t know what you call this kind of person. I can only say that his legs were shaking.”

“The worst part was in a moment when he was near my sector and he said: ‘Mr. Ref, he’s kicking me, he’s kicking me’. The official responded him: ‘You are doing your work, they’re doing theirs,'” he said.