Andrei Kanchelskis slams Mkhitaryan for not coming to Baku, letting team down

By Trend

There will be good football in Baku, Andrei Kanchelskis, former midfielder of England’s Manchester United and Everton, said in an interview with Rusfootball.info, Trendreports.

During the interview, the former midfielder shared his expectations from the Europa League final between Chelsea and Arsenal and the Champions League final between Tottenham and Liverpool.

“If we are to talk about the teams’ chances, then right now I think that Chelsea has more, because they have a balanced line-up in all fronts. I think they will win,” he said.

Kanchelskis also voiced his opinion on the refusal of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Arsenal’s midfielder of Armenian heritage, to fly to the decisive match in Baku for political reasons.

“I cannot understand this. Who are you afraid of? What political relations? If you are playing football, then go ahead and play football. What a nonsense! It is just ridiculous. Football is football, politics is politics. Go and play, show that you are not afraid of anyone. What will they even do to you there? Regardless of how the relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia unfold, you need to go and play. No one will even raise a finger to you, for crying out loud!," he said.

"Well, maybe you will be whistled and shouted at ... Maradona was also whistled at because he scored a goal against the English national team with his hand – and Maradona is alive! If a person wants something badly, they do everything in their power – and, well, if you got scared, then admit that you are a coward. I would have fined Mkhitaryan instead of the leadership for not fulfilling his professional duties. If they lose the game, then Mkhitaryan will be the one to blame, because he did not go and did not help the team," said Kanchelskis.