The Sunday Telegraph (London)
Mkhitaryan jam leaves UEFA in a pickle over final
by SAM WALLACE
Of all the impractical considerations of getting to Baku for the Europa League final, the chance that Henrikh Mkhitaryan might not be able to go is the worst. The Armenian did not travel for Arsenal's group game against Qarabag because of the diplomatic stand-off between his country and Azerbaijan.
Uefa only now seems to be getting around to addressing this, which should have been a condition of awarding the final. Perhaps they gambled this might be a year when the Europa League, the future of which is unclear, was contested by two clubs who would accept the inconvenience of Baku. Instead they have two high-profile, well-supported clubs, an Armenian whose safety cannot be guaranteed and the whole thing is a mess.