Arsenal midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan will not be included in the Europa League final squad to face Chelsea, the club have confirmed.
The Armenian won’t be travelling to Azerbaijan due to safety fears, after failing to receive sufficient assurances from UEFA.
Fans on Twitter are angered that Mkhitaryan won’t be playing in Baku:
This is horrendous. Imagine if it was Messi or Ronaldo that couldn’t play in a European final because their safety can’t be guaranteed.
Uefa should be ashamed that they’ve let this happen, clearly don’t care about the fans or players. It’s all about the money.
— TheUnaiView (@TheUnaiView) May 21, 2019
If you can’t guarantee the safety of a player , the stadium shouldn’t be used for a European final … That’s pretty much rule number 1 when deciding a venue surely
— Dónal Kelly (@Dkell2799) May 21, 2019
UEFA are a disgrace. In all honesty the players should boycott this game. Fans are being robbed of watching their teams in the final and now Mkhi can’t travel because of political tension? Utter joke.
— 360Sources (@360Sources) May 21, 2019
Win the trophy for him
— ICES ????GH????????????????? (@AkpongE) May 21, 2019
Should’ve changed where the final was played. Football and politics shouldn’t clash, and no player should be forced to not play against their safety.
— Jahan Miah (@AllAboutTheAFC) May 21, 2019
“2 years required to plan and prepare”
And yet still managed to screw everything up
Shambolic and disgraceful
— ClerkenwellGooner (@RationalArsenal) May 21, 2019
It’s wrong, just plain wrong.
— Maureen vd Plas (@MaureenvdPlas) May 21, 2019
SAD!
— TREVOR™ (@trevorprosper) May 21, 2019
How has it come to this? In this day and age? Well done @UEFA ?
— Craig Choughari (@CChougs) May 21, 2019
Whatever you think of Mkhi, no player should be denied the opportunity to play in a European cup final because of politics.
— Hesketh (@N5_Gooner) May 21, 2019
The 30-year-old also did not travel when the team faced Azeri side Qarabag in the group stages earlier this season.
At his press conference at London Colney, manager Unai Emery said he had spoken to Mkhitaryan about the situation and he revealed that the player made a “personal decision” not to go.
The Arsenal boss said he respected the midfielder’s decision “100%” but he was disappointed to be without an important first-team player for the match.
Mkhitaryan was used as a substitute in both legs of the semi-final against Valencia and provided an assist for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s third goal in the 4-2 win at the Mestalla.
