Звезда армянского футбола не поедет в Азербайджан на финал Лиги Европы

Игрок «Арсенала» и капитан сборной Армении по футболу Генрих Мхитарян объявил во вторник (21 мая), что он не поедет с «Арсеналом» в Баку на финал Лиги Европы против «Челси», ссылаясь на соображения безопасности. В настоящее время между Азербайджаном и Арменией нет никаких дипломатических отношений из-за конфликта вокруг Нагорного Карабаха, что вызывает опасения относительно безопасности игрока на поле.

В публичном заявлении Мхитарян сказал, что «рассмотрев все текущие варианты, мы должны были принять тяжелое решение, и я не отправился с командой в финал Лиги Европы».

После принятия решения УЕФА попало под критику, и некоторые высказали предположение, что игру следует бойкотировать. Управляющий директор «Арсенала» назвал ситуацию «неприемлемой», заявив, что:

"Мы думаем, что ему не стоит ехать, и это очень печально. Шанс поиграть в главных европейских финалах выпадает нечасто, и у Мики его отняли.

Несмотря на это, менеджер «Арсенала» Унаи Эмери подчеркнул, что это было личное решение игрока, которое он принял после разговора со своей семьей, добавив:

"Это очень личное решение, и мы должны уважать его. Я не понимаю политических проблем, но я должен уважать его решение".

Официальные лица Азербайджана оспаривают то, что игроку грозит опасность, а генеральный секретарь ФА (АФФА) Эльхан Мамедов сказал:

"От имени правительства и местного организационного комитета мы дали все гарантии УЕФА и клубу, но я думаю, что это было личное решение игрока вместе с его семьей".

Тахир Тагизаде, посол Азербайджана в Великобритании, сказал в интервью talkSPORT, что он "разочарован", сказав, что, хотя Мхитарян однажды посетил Нагорный Карабах, что привело к его автоматическому внесению в черный список, но "это уже решено, и никаких проблем не возникнет" с его въездам в Азербайджан.

Когда его спросили, посол сказал, что он считает это политическим решением.

источник: commonspace.eu с агентствами

Фото от агентства новостей AFP

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