Armenian Footballers This Week: Goals, European Nights, and an International Retirement

From February 10 to 17, Armenian footballers playing abroad had a busy week. With the national team’s March matches approaching, players are gradually building form, scoring, gaining match practice — and some are making career-defining decisions.

Key Highlights of the Week

• Goals by Vahan Bichakhchyan and Finn Geragusian

• Confident wins for the teams of Nair Tiknizyan and Lucas Zelarayán

• Meeting between Armenia head coach Yeghishe Melikyan and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in Milan

• Tigran Barseghyan announced his retirement from the national team

• Best SofaScore rating of the week — Lucas Zelarayán (8.1)

Armenian Footballers (February 10–17)

Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Inter, Serie A)

Mkhitaryan remained on the bench against Juventus, but he is expected to start today in the Champions League match against Bodø/Glimt.

• February 14 (Saturday, Serie A) — Inter vs Juventus (3:2)
  Mkhitaryan was an unused substitute.

Tigran Barseghyan (Slovan Bratislava, Slovakia)

• February 14 (Saturday, Slovak League) — Slovan vs Trenčín (0:2)
  Barseghyan came on in the 46th minute. SofaScore rating — 6.7.

Despite the defeat, Slovan remain comfortable league leaders. During the week, Barseghyan announced his retirement from the Armenian national team — an important milestone for the squad.

Nair Tiknizyan (Red Star Belgrade, Serbia)

The Armenian national team left-back delivered a strong performance in the Serbian league and is set to play in the Europa League against Lille this Thursday.

• February 11 (Wednesday, Serbian Cup Round of 16) — Dubanovici vs Red Star (1:4)
  Tiknizyan came on in the 66th minute.

• February 14 (Saturday, SuperLiga) — Železničar vs Red Star (0:3)
  Tiknizyan started and played the full match. SofaScore rating — 7.1.

Tiknizyan is consistently getting minutes ahead of key European fixtures.

Ognjen Čančarević (IMT Novi Beograd, Serbia)

The Armenian national team goalkeeper kept a second consecutive clean sheet as his team secured another 1:0 victory.

• February 16 (Monday, SuperLiga) — IMT vs Javor (1:0)
  Čančarević played the full match. SofaScore rating — 6.3.

Styopa Mkrtchyan (Nürnberg, Germany)

After making his debut last round, the Armenian defender remained on the bench this week.

• February 13 (Friday, 2. Bundesliga) — Nürnberg vs Karlsruhe (5:1)
  Mkrtchyan was an unused substitute.

Grant-Leon Ranos (Eintracht Braunschweig, Germany)

The Armenian national team striker made another substitute appearance for his new club.

• February 14 (Saturday, 2. Bundesliga) — Eintracht Braunschweig vs Darmstadt (2:2)
  Ranos came on in the 70th minute, playing as a right winger. SofaScore rating — 6.5.

Lucas Zelarayán (Belgrano, Argentina)

Belgrano secured their second consecutive win, and Zelarayán delivered another solid performance.

• February 15 (Sunday, Argentine League) — Belgrano vs Independiente Rivadavia (1:0)
  Zelarayán played 89 minutes. SofaScore rating — 8.1.

Norberto Briasco Balekian (Barracas Central, Argentina)

• February 16 (Monday, Argentine League) — Rosario vs Barracas (2:0)
  Balekian remained on the bench.

Tomás Adoryan (Banfield, Argentina)

• February 14 (Saturday, Argentine League) — Banfield vs Racing (0:2)
  Adoryan came on in the 77th minute. SofaScore rating — 6.7.

Vahan Bichakhchyan (Legia Warsaw, Poland)

Bichakhchyan scored his first goal of 2026, but Legia remain in the relegation zone.

• February 13 (Friday, Ekstraklasa) — Katowice vs Legia (1:1)
  Bichakhchyan scored and played 80 minutes. SofaScore rating — 8.0.

Despite the result, it was an important step for him in the fight for a consistent starting role.

Georgiy Harutyunyan (Puskás Akadémia, Hungary)

• February 14 (Saturday, Hungarian League) — MTK vs Puskás Akadémia (2:2)
  Harutyunyan was an unused substitute.

Narek Grigoryan (Farul, Romania)

• February 15 (Sunday, Romanian SuperLiga) — Farul vs Rapid (3:1)
  Grigoryan missed the match due to suspension.

Artur Miranyan (Bnei Sakhnin, Israel)

• February 15 (Sunday, Israeli League) — Maccabi Haifa vs Bnei Sakhnin (4:0)
  Miranyan played 66 minutes and received a yellow card. SofaScore rating — 6.5.

Finn Geragusian (Sunderland U21, England)

The 18-year-old Armenia youth international continues to progress at academy level, scoring again for the U21 side.

• February 11 (Wednesday, Premier League Cup Round of 32) — Nottingham Forest U21 vs Sunderland U21 (1:6)
  Geragusian played the full match and scored.

Geragusian also traveled with Sunderland’s first team for an FA Cup fixture.

Wbeymar Angulo (Malut United, Indonesia)

• February 13 (Friday, Indonesian Super League) — Malut United vs Persijap (4:0)
  Angulo played the full match. SofaScore rating — 6.8.

Jordy Monroy Ararat (Deportivo Pereira, Colombia)

• February 15 (Sunday, Primera A) — Jaguares vs Pereira (2:3)
  Monroy Ararat came on in the 71st minute. SofaScore rating — 6.3.

Artur Zakharyan (Stade Briochin, France)

After four unbeaten matches, Zakaryan’s team lost again and remains bottom of the table.

• February 17 (Tuesday, National 1) — Stade Briochin vs Fleury (2:3)
  Zakharyan played 56 minutes.

Milan Gharibyan (Clermont Foot U19, France)

The 17-year-old Armenian is moving toward a potential championship title in one of France’s most competitive youth leagues.

• February 15 (Sunday, National U19) — Clermont U19 vs Troyes U19 (2:0)
  Gharibyan played 75 minutes, and his team leads the league.

Albert Mnatsakanyan (Luftëtari, Albania)

• February 14 (Saturday, Albanian First Division) — Luftëtari vs Kastrioti (2:1)
  Mnatsakanyan played the full match.

Aventis Aventisyan & Edgar Movsesyan (PAE Chania, Greece)

• February 15 (Sunday, Super League 2) — PAE Chania vs Ellas Syrou (1:2)
  Aventisyan made his debut, coming on in the 80th minute. Movsesyan remained on the bench.

Airik Balasanov (Monopoli U19, Italy)

• February 14 (Saturday, Primavera 2 – Group B) — Salernitana U19 vs Monopoli U19 (1:3)
  Balasanov played 81 minutes.

Seroj Titizian (Vevey-Sports, Switzerland)

The former BKMA and Armenia youth international midfielder scored in his debut match in Switzerland’s third division.

• February 15 (Sunday, Promotion League) — Young Boys II vs Vevey-Sports (4:1)
  Titizyan played the full match and scored his team’s only goal.

Ahead of us are European fixtures involving Noah, Mkhitaryan, and Tiknizyan, as well as the resumption of the Russian and Armenian domestic leagues.