Arsenal managing director: Situation over Mkhitaryan is unacceptable

Arsenal managing director Vinai Venkatesham has commented on Armenia national football squad captain and Arsenal midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s decision on not joining them in their UEFA Europa League final in Baku, and he said this situation was “unacceptable," BBC reported.

“I struggle to find words for how strongly I feel,” Venkatesham said, BBC reported. “We don’t feel he [Mkhitaryan] can travel and it’s extraordinarily sad. You don’t get a chance to play in major European finals often and Miki has had it taken away from him.

“We made our point clearly to Uefa - we have written to them. We will also sit down with them face to face after the final and express how it is unacceptable and how it can never happen again to Arsenal or anyone.”

Arsenal will lock horns with Chelsea in their Europa League final which is slated for May 29, in the Azerbaijani capital city of Baku.

As reported earlier, UEFA and Azerbaijani authorities had given Arsenal and Mkhitaryan security guarantees, but the London club on Tuesday announced that after discussions with the Armenian midfielder and his family, they have decided not to take the footballer with them to Baku.

In the past, Mkhitaryan has missed two away European cup matches with Azerbaijani clubs.