Ararat-Armenia captain Armen Ambartsumyan is enjoying the best season of his career, having scored four goals and provided five assists in the current Armenian Premier League campaign. With Eduard Spertsyan sidelined due to an injury sustained in an RPL match against Krylia Sovetov, the Armenian national team must find a replacement for the key midfielder ahead of their upcoming matches against Georgia on March 20 and 23.
In Spertsyan's absence, the team will need to bring in another central midfielder. Armen Ambartsumyan emerges as a strong candidate, given his similar role at the club level, where he operates as a mezzala with frequent attacking contributions.
Additionally, Ambartsumyan boasts significant experience and enjoys more consistent playing time at his club compared to other midfield options like Karen Muradyan and Hovhannes Harutyunyan.
It’s worth noting that Eduard Spertsyan’s injury in the RPL match against Krylia Sovetov will rule him out of Armenia’s matches against Georgia. While Armen Ambartsumyan could be a viable replacement in the squad, he may not necessarily secure a spot in the starting lineup.
Other candidates for the position include younger players who have either never been called up or have had limited involvement with the national team. Among them are Urartu midfielders Sergey Mkrtchyan and Narek Agasaryan, Van’s leader Karen Nalbandyan, and Edgar Piloyan, who plays for Bulgarian club Botev and has often been compared to Spertsyan in terms of playing style.
More About Ambartsumyan
Ambartsumyan was called up to the national team twice in 2019 under head coach Armen Gyulbudaghyants. However, he never made his debut due to the intense competition in midfield at the time, with players like Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Karlen Mkrtchyan, Artur Grigoryan, and Rumyan Hovsepyan dominating the squad.
A product of CSKA Moscow’s academy, Ambartsumyan represented all youth and U21 national teams of Russia before moving to Armenia. He also gained experience in the FNL with clubs like Fakel, Torpedo (Armavir), and Mordovia. Since 2018, he has been a key figure for Ararat-Armenia.
Ambartsumyan will turn 31 in April, which might seem late for a national team debut. However, examples like Artur Grigoryan, who debuted at 30 and went on to earn over 50 caps, and Lucas Zelarayán demonstrate that age is not always a decisive factor.
Armenia’s squad list has not yet been announced, but the first confirmed call-up under new head coach John van’t Schip is defender Stepa Mkrtchyan, whose selection was confirmed by his club.