Roma not allowing Henrikh Mkhitaryan to join Armenia national football team

Senior member of the Armenia national football team Henrikh Mkhitaryan can’t join the team during the upcoming matches, and once again, the reason is the coronavirus, the press service of the Football Federation of Armenia reported.

“On November 6, the Football Federation of Armenia received an official letter from Roma stating that, taking into consideration the fact that one of the team’s footballers has tested positive for the coronavirus, it is advised to relieve Henrikh Mkhitaryan from the obligation to join the Armenia national football team.

On November 7, Roma sent the Football Federation of Armenia another letter stating Italy's new health legislation according to which footballers of Roma can’t participate in any sporting event under the auspices of UEFA until the end of the lockdown. Footballers must self-isolate at the training facility of the football club and can’t leave Italy; therefore, they also can’t join the teams of other countries.

The legislation concerns not only Roma, but also Milan, Inter Milan, Fiorentina and Genoa, that is, all the football clubs representing the regions of Italy in which the hotbed for the coronavirus is more widespread.

Mkhitaryan was ready and had a great desire to join the Armenia national football team, taking into consideration the fact that the two upcoming matches are important for the team. Mkhitaryan and the Football Federation of Armenia negotiated with Roma for several days and tried to make sure an exception was made for Mkhitaryan, but the football club reaffirmed that it’s not up to the football club to solve the issue.

Thus, Mkhitaryan won’t be able to come to Armenia and participate in the team’s upcoming matches,” the statement of the Football Federation of Armenia reads.

Follow NEWS.am SPORT on Facebook, Twitter and Telegram