Henrikh Mkhitaryan, the former defender of “Ararat” and “Spartak”, USSR 1979, spoke about the winner of the “Zvezda” contest in September. champion Alexander Mirzoyan in a conversation with the reporter of “Sport Express”.
– Did Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s progress in the current season surprise you?
– No. Arkady Andreasyan, with whom Henrich took his first football steps in “Pyunik“, told me that he is a very gifted football player. At some point, Andreasyan convinced his relatives that the boy should move to a stronger league. And he ended up in Ukraine.
Mkhitaryan is not only technically advanced, but also a very mobile footballer. He does everything with speed, which is highly valued in modern football. He is not a striker, nobody creates moments for Mkhitaryan. On the contrary, he has to supply balls to the attackers. But at the same time, he can easily take the game on himself, break into the penalty area and single-handedly decide the outcome of the episode. Henrich has a good shot.
– But Mkhitaryan did not score so many goals before.
– Do not forget that the boy is only 23 years old. Even a year ago, he was not satisfied with athleticism. Now it has significantly increased in that respect. Fixed. If he has been in the leading positions in the Armenian team for a long time, now he has become the leader of “Shakhtar”, where there is a terrible competition. Lucescu trusts him, gives him full freedom of action in the attack line. And there’s a lightness to his game. The result is the goals.
– He also manages to work in defense…
– And it does it perfectly. Mkhitaryan anticipates the opponent’s positional attacks. Able to block lanes, position himself correctly to get to the ball first. I have no doubt that European clubs already have him in their sights.
– They say that “Zenit” was interested in Mkhitaryan’s services in the summer. Do you think he would commit to that team’s game?
– “Zenit” will not make a mistake if they buy him. Mkhitaryan will add charm to the game. Spalletti has enough midfielders at his disposal, but most of them are already in their 30s. You have to think about the perspective.
– Which European championship is more suitable for Mkhitaryan?
– In Armenia, Henrikh had adapted to fine and technically literate football. And in Ukraine, the game is more powerful, to which Mkhitaryan also adapted. Therefore, it seems to me that he can safely play in the Spanish league, as well as in the English Premier League. There is a risk of losing in Serie A. Italians like to “dry” the game too much. I would not recommend moving to France.
– Why?
– There is a large Armenian diaspora there. Mkhitaryan will immediately be surrounded by such affection, which will most likely have a negative effect. Better to behave under harsh conditions. The main thing is to understand that his current level is not the limit of possibilities. Mkhitaryan’s potential is huge. If he keeps his demands on himself, he will play much stronger.
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