UEFA on Mkhitaryan: If football allows itself to be stopped by such tensions, we will not be able to organize anything

The Slovenian president of UEFA, Aleksander Čeferin, has commented on the present-day situation in connection with Armenia international and Arsenal midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

After consulting with the football player and his family, Arsenal decided not to include Mkhitaryan in the Europa League final against London’s Chelsea, and which will be held on May 29 in Baku, Čeferin told Der Spiegel, and added that it is Mkhitaryan’s decision not to go to Baku.

“If football allows itself to be stopped by such tensions, then we will not be able to organize anything in future,” the UEFA President concluded.

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

But due to security concerns, Armenia national football squad captain and Arsenal midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan has decided not to join the Gunners in this match.

And Arsenal criticized UEFA for holding this game in the capital city of Azerbaijan.

Earlier, both 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.