Barella on Mkhitaryan: "He's like wine — he only gets better with age"

Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella has praised his teammate Henrikh Mkhitaryan following the 1-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in Matchday 3 of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase.

The match took place on October 21 at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan. The 37-year-old Armenian came off the bench in the 75th minute and provided an assist for Carlos Augusto just two minutes later. Augusto scored the only goal of the match, securing Inter's first victory in this season's Champions League campaign.

Speaking after the game, Barella highlighted Mkhitaryan's professionalism and high level of performance, emphasizing that the Armenian midfielder continues to make a significant contribution to the team despite receiving less playing time.

"I think he's like wine — he only gets better with age. I can only congratulate him and thank him because he's used to always starting matches, but now that he's playing less, his impact off the bench is decisive, and he's still able to give his best," Barella said.

The match against Shakhtar was particularly meaningful for Mkhitaryan, who played for the Ukrainian club from 2010 to 2013 before continuing his career at Borussia Dortmund.

Thanks to the victory over the Ukrainian side, Inter earned their first three points in the Champions League after suffering two defeats at the start of the competition.