Europa League Final In Baku Has Aresnal’s Henrik Mkhitaryan Not Playing Due To Security Concerns

For European soccer, countries from all across Europe compete in an international tournament. This year’s Europa League final is being hosted at the Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan. In this year’s final, two English clubs, Arsenal FC and Chelsea FC, will be facing off in Baku. But for Arsenal, one of their players won’t be participating or traveling with the team, due to security reasons.

The Arsenal midfielder and Armenian national, Henrik Mkhitaryan, will be missing potentially one of the biggest games of his career due to an on-going, Soviet-era controversy between European and several post-Soviet Asian countries. It has been a publicity terror for Azerbaijan, which was looking to host the final for a spot in the limelight, instead they are in there for the wrong reasons.

Mkhitaryan is representing Armenia, which is a neighbor to Azerbaijan, which both countries are still currently in a land dispute of a territory in Nagorno-Karabakh. During the era of the Soviet Union, the territory belonged to Azerbaijan, but almost all of the citizens who live there were Armenian. The land dispute has caused over 30,000 deaths until a cease fire in 1994. Violations have continued to this day, claiming hundreds of lives each year. Russia, France  the United States and other countries have made little to no progress on helping or solving this dispute, which continues to this day.

“We have a situation that is completely unacceptable,” Arsenal’s managing director, Vinai Venkatesham told NBC News. “It is not our decision or Henrikh’s but one we made together.” Mkhitaryan will be staying in London, likely watching the game at his home.

Police in Baku have even stopped Arsenal supporters in the country who have been wearing Mkhitaryan jerseys, reportedly for their own safety, and rightfully so. According to the Guardian, British-Armenians have been denied international visas as well.

The final takes place on Wednesday in Baku. With both teams looking for a major European trophy, controversy surrounds the game in and outside the stadium.

Article by Tyler Pence