Rome: Mkhitaryan key man in midfield for Mourinho

The east wind that blows over Europe is one of those that melancholy. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine, in fact, has brought war back to the table of confrontation between states, displacing world public opinion. Probably, one of the few who was not surprised that the armed conflict can still oppose two peoples, it is precisely Henrikh Mkhitaryan who, as a symbol of Armenia, has been fighting for years to stop the noise of weapons between his country and the ‘Azerbaijan, which since 1992 – with interruptions and resumptions – have been flying to the Nagorno Karabakh area.

It goes without saying that football seems small in the face of such problems, but certainly few in Armenia could have been better ambassadors of peace than the Roma midfielder, even if just last week he decided to leave his national team permanently, at 33. years, after 95 appearances and 32 goals, which have consecrated him as the best scorer in his country.

Oscar-winning director

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On the other hand, the new Giallorossi commitments are putting him in the limelight more and more, also because Micki has competed and won the place as director of the team. A role that has always remained uncovered since the beginning of the season and in which José Mourinho has tried many different solutions. At different times Cristante and Pellegrini tried it, then the Veretout card was tried, until arriving in January, when it seemed that Oliveira’s adaptation was the right solution. No way. The Portuguese – like the Frenchman – entered a cone of shadow (also thanks to the not perfect physical conditions) and so the management of the ball was entrusted to the stainless Mkhitaryan, who in Reggio Emilia – ended the match against Sassuolo ended on the 2-2 comeback – he had the official investiture by the Special One. “He is not a role playmaker either, but he is the one who is best suited to handling the ball.” In short, almost a promotion on the pitch for a striker who last season had closed with 15 goals and 13 assists. “Monstre” numbers, which earned him the annual contract extension at very important figures.

fab four

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No surprise that such a performance would put any age-related talk in brackets. Thus the statistics reveal how Mkhitaryan entered a special ranking of European nobility. In fact, the Armenian – who against Atalanta crossed the finish line of 250 games in the top European leagues (in his case Germany, England and Italy) – from 2013-14 is among the four midfielders who have scored at least 60 goals and provided 60 assists The company is of the highest level, since alongside him there are only Payet (Marseille), De Bruyne (Manchester City) and Di Maria (and Psg). With these premises it is understood that people like Oliveira and Veretout have to return to high levels of performance to hope to take back those starting positions that have evaporated for them in the last few days.

new contract

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Instead, for the Armenian player, the next frontier appears very clear: a new contract with Roma. Of course, a meeting point will have to be found, but even if for sure next summer the general manager Tiago Pinto will necessarily have to buy a role director to satisfy Mourinho, it will hardly be possible to find on the market a player as flexible as the Armenian, able to play (and well) as an attacking midfielder, pure striker (with Fonseca he also played the center forward) and now also as a playmaker. This is why the feeling is that the love story with the Giallorossi colors, now that the commitments with the Armenian national team have ended, can become even more solid. Also because the Special One likes the winners and Mkhitaryan, from the top of the 19 titles posted during his career, certainly is.