“He Needs to Be Cloned”: Italian Media Praise Mkhitaryan's Performance in Inter's Victory
- Author: Vahe Hakobyan
- Sportaran
Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan was one of Inter Milan's standout performers in their Serie A Matchday 6 clash against Parma. The reigning Italian champions secured a convincing 3-0 victory, while the 37-year-old registered an excellent assist and received positive ratings from Italian sports media.
Mkhitaryan started for Cristian Chivu's side and played the full 90 minutes. It was a particularly successful outing for the Armenian, who recorded his first goal contribution of the season.
Inter Settled the Match in the First Half
The Milan giants took control from the opening minutes and established a comfortable advantage midway through the first half.
Petar Sučić opened the scoring in the 13th minute, and just five minutes later, Hakan Çalhanoğlu doubled Inter's lead by converting a penalty.
In the 31st minute, Inter produced one of the finest attacking moves of the match, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan playing a crucial role. The Armenian midfielder delivered a superb defence-splitting pass to Marcus Thuram, putting the French striker through on goal. Thuram finished confidently to make it 3-0, completing the scoring.
After the break, Inter comfortably controlled proceedings and saw out the victory.
Chivu had decided to rest Nicolò Barella and Piotr Zieliński following their international commitments. This gave Mkhitaryan the opportunity to play the entire match, and the Armenian made excellent use of the coaching staff's trust.
Mkhitaryan contributed not only to Inter's attacking play but also defensively, helping his team maintain control throughout the contest.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan's Statistics Against Parma
According to SofaScore, Mkhitaryan received a 7.2 rating.
- Shots: 2 (xG: 0.26)
- Assists: 1
- Big chances created: 1
- Key passes: 2 (xA: 0.10)
- Accurate passes: 59 (84%)
- Possession lost: 16
- Tackles: 1
- Interceptions: 1
- Clearances: 2
- Shots blocked: 1
- Ball recoveries: 4
- Duels won: 2 out of 4
- SofaScore rating: 7.2
In addition to his assist, Mkhitaryan attempted two shots and nearly scored a spectacular goal with an overhead kick around the 70th minute.
Italian Media on Mkhitaryan: “He Needs to Be Cloned”
The Armenian midfielder earned strong reviews from the Italian press. Sports outlets particularly highlighted his football intelligence, physical fitness and outstanding assist for Thuram.
Eurosport — 6.5
"He helps the team's machinery run smoothly thanks to his football intelligence, which will never fade. His defence-splitting pass into Thuram's path for the third goal was an absolute delight."
FCInter1908 — 7
"He also got his name on the scoresheet with an assist for Thuram. But he remained consistent throughout the entire match, making hardly any mistakes. He covers a tremendous amount of ground while maintaining a high level of quality. Even from a physical standpoint, his stamina remains excellent."
Calciomercato — 6.5
"The biggest surprise in Chivu's starting lineup proved that he can still play an important role in this Inter side. His trademark football intelligence was once again at the team's service. Particularly memorable was his combination with Pio Esposito, after which Mkhitaryan played an excellent ball into space to set up Thuram's third goal. In the 70th minute, he almost scored himself with an overhead kick."
Leggo — 7
"A reliable old option who combines an enormous work rate with the highest quality. He battles for every ball, never stops for a second and crowns his performance with an assist for the third goal. He won possession and produced a stunning through ball for Thuram. He needs to be cloned."
Sport Virgilio — 6.5
"A player who lights up the game. He created Thuram's third goal with a perfectly weighted vertical pass that split the opposition defence. He moved intelligently between the lines and helped Inter control the tempo of the match."
FCInterNews — 6.5
"Mkhitaryan never tries to draw attention to himself — it simply isn't in his nature. He diligently does his job, operates in his usual areas and covers other spaces when necessary, never switching off for a moment. And since Thuram was also eager to score, the Armenian delivered a perfect pass straight to the Frenchman's feet, allowing him to score the third goal. Mkhitaryan himself also came close to scoring with an overhead kick. He remains an extremely valuable asset to the team."
InterNews24 — 6.5
"An organised and disciplined first-half performance, highlighted by a magnificent assist for Thuram."
All seven Italian outlets therefore gave Mkhitaryan positive reviews. Two awarded the Armenian a rating of 7, while the other five gave him 6.5.
Mkhitaryan Continues to Prove His Importance to Inter
Despite his age and the fierce competition for places in Inter Milan's midfield, Henrikh Mkhitaryan continues to be an important player for Cristian Chivu's team.
The match against Parma demonstrated that the 37-year-old Armenian is still capable of combining a tremendous work rate with decisive contributions in attack.
Notably, most Italian journalists praised not only his assist but also his physical condition, as the midfielder maintained a high standard throughout the full 90 minutes.