Arsenal are preparing for the prospect of leaving their Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan at home for the Europa League final in Baku. There is significant anger within the camp that one of their players feels effectively forced to miss such a major match over safety issues. The Arsenal midfielder has more minutes in this competition than any other.
It is not considered realistic for Arsenal to pull out of the competition in protest, with so much at stake in terms of a trophy and qualification for the Champions League that is predicted to be worth approximately £60m in terms of their potential transfer budget. The more important point is that a club should not be in a position where they feel obliged to ponder pulling out of a final, and a player under Uefa’s jurisdiction should not feel pushed to miss one of its showpiece finals because of his nationality.
It's crazy that people are debating whether Arsenal might pull out and not bother with the final. Does anyone know anyone that is making the trip? From either set of supporters? Hopefully this situation won't get anymore ridiculous but only time will tell. Good luck and God bless.
Baku
posted on 16/5/19
comment by JustYourAverageFan (U21016)
posted 4 minutes ago
No idea what panel decides to have places like this hosting a European final. Inaccessible, horrible country, miles away etc. Who sits there and thinks that Baku is a suitable place for a European final.
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Ask yourself that question again, but this time pretend someone is offering you a lot of money to say yes to Baku.
posted on 16/5/19
comment by harlequinHebdo (U16981)
posted 42 minutes ago
Most Arsenal fans I know think it's north of Bury St Edmunds !
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Oh, they're wrong, I checked. It's a good 12 degrees south.
posted on 16/5/19
I'm going to Baku next month travelling and they are stupidly strict on anyone who has been to Armenia or the disputed territory between the 2. If you have any books, material on you including on your phone, you'll get turned out, and some parts, sent to prison. Its obviously 1855 in Azerbaijan still
posted on 16/5/19
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 39 minutes ago
comment by JustYourAverageFan (U21016)
posted 4 minutes ago
No idea what panel decides to have places like this hosting a European final. Inaccessible, horrible country, miles away etc. Who sits there and thinks that Baku is a suitable place for a European final.
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Ask yourself that question again, but this time pretend someone is offering you a lot of money to say yes to Baku.
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Who thought of going to Baku - it's an absolutely ridiculous idea to.....hold on, what's in this suit case? Oh, I see. Yes, Baku DOES sound like a good idea. On an unrelated matter, I'm just going to my bank.
posted on 16/5/19
Baku is probably twinned with Bury St Edmunds. God forsaken places in the middle of nowhere, good targets for a stray drone or two.
posted on 16/5/19
Most people know by now CFCs damage the ozone layer
posted on 16/5/19
I've never been to Bury St Edmunds !
posted on 16/5/19
Baku hosts a grand prix and is not some backwater city like folk living under rocks seem to think. It has issues with a neighbouring nation.
posted on 16/5/19
NO direct commercial flights available to Baku since Chelsea qualified.
Thomas Cook charging 979 for a day trip.
Airport cannot handle more than 15000 visitors
posted on 17/5/19
The good people of Gibraltar have no specific opinion of Baku.