Baku, Azerbaijan, May 24
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
Arsenal midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s refusal to participate in the UEFA Europa League final match in Baku is not a big loss, commentator for ESPN FC Steve Nicol said, Trend reports on May 24.
“Under normal circumstances any player missing the European final would be a crushing blow, disaster,” he added. “At the end of your career this is the tapes of games and memories you hold on to."
Nicol went on to say that if Mkhitaryan would've played at all, he wouldn't have started the game.
“If you look what he has done in the field, I don’t think his absence would be a big miss," he said. "You send a wrong message if you don’t play in that game. The game has to be played. I am glad that Arsenal and Chelsea are going to play. That’s the right decision in my opinion.”
The match will start at 23:00 (GMT+4) at the 68,000-seat Baku Olympic Stadium.
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