Qarabag coach Gurban Gurbanov has claimed Arsenal were afraid to include Henrikh Mkhitaryan for their Europa League clash in Azerbaijan because of the criticism he would have faced from a partizan crowd.
Tensions are high in the region here over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenians forbidden entry to Azerbaijan.
However, exceptions can be made and Uefa confirmed that Armenian-born Mkhitaryan would be granted a visa had the Gunners decided to select him but head coach Unai Emery opted to leave him in London amid security concerns.
The same decision was made in 2015 when Mkhitaryan was at Borussia Dortmund and the German club were due to face Gabala, but Gurbanov believes fear as the motivating factor in Mkhitaryan not making the 5,000-mile round trip.
“I didn't want politics to interrupt the sport but we could not do anything on this issue,” he said. “Arsenal tried to save this player but it is not a matter for us if he is coming or not.
“If Henrikh Mkhitaryan would come to Azerbaijan it is not the first time and until now a lot of Armenian sportsman came to Azerbaijan but it is the choice of Arsenal that they didn't send.
“Arsenal may be afraid that in front of 60,000 Azerbaijani fans, Mkhitaryan has some pressure and that is why they didn't send Mkhitaryan.”
Emery has selected a surprisingly strong squad for tomorrow’s Group E clash with Mesut Ozil, Alexandre Lacazette, Nacho Monreal, Hector Bellerin and Shkodran Mustafi among those pictured boarding the team flight from Luton this lunchtime.
