In the second-leg Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, former Armenian national team midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan played 79 minutes. He left the game after receiving a yellow card with the score at 2–2. Regular time ended 3–3, as did the first leg. Davide Frattesi’s winner in extra time secured victory for Inter—the aggregate score over both legs was 7–6 in favor of the Milanese side.
Inter will face the winner of the PSG vs. Arsenal tie in the Champions League final on May 31 in Munich.
Mkhitaryan stood out particularly in the first half. He came close to an assist, but Marcus Thuram failed to convert his pass. The Armenian also struck dangerously from the edge of the box—the ball skimmed the post. Below are his match statistics and the ratings from the Italian media.
Italian media ratings and commentary on Mkhitaryan:
-
Eurosport (7): “As always, outstanding football intelligence. The Armenian understood that today’s task was to run, cover spaces, and work tirelessly. And he played as if he were 26, not 36. What a heart. What a player.”
-
Sportface (6.5): “An exemplary first half. In the second, he noticeably dropped off and couldn’t keep up with Barcelona’s tempo.”
-
Passioneinter (6.5): “Helped Dimarco double up on the flank against Yamal, played a fine pass to Lautaro Martinez in the penalty incident. But in the second half he faded, allowing Dani Olmo to equalize easily. He also almost conceded a penalty by fouling Yamal—saved by centimeters (just as a week ago he missed a goal by a centimeter).”
-
Inter-news (6.5): “Overall a solid match. In the second half he lacked confidence, which dulled the strong impression from his first-half performance.”
-
Sportmediaset (6.5): “In the first half, the usual ‘engine,’ active both in attack and defense. After the break he tired and lost concentration.”
-
90min (6): “Everywhere in the first half, almost scored, but after the break he fell off significantly and nearly caused a penalty.”
-
Calciomercato (7): “Committed himself to pressing and cover duties, but was less attentive on crosses into the box. His positioning can be criticized on both of Barcelona’s goals. Received a yellow for correcting Çalhanoğlu’s mistake.”
-
Tuttomercatoweb (7): “He should be cloned. While he had the energy, he was the best midfielder on the pitch, even alongside a potential Ballon d’Or winner. Finished the match exhausted, taking risks against Yamal.”
-
Fcinter1908 (7): “Composure and class. Everywhere at once, controlled everything. Even came close to scoring with a long-range effort.”
Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s stats vs. Barcelona:
-
Minutes played: 79
-
Expected assists (xA): 0.02
-
Expected goals (xG): 0.01
-
Accurate passes: 17 (85%)
-
Key passes: 1
-
Successful dribbles: 2 of 3
-
Duels won: 7 of 14
-
Turnovers: 6
-
Fouls committed: 2
-
Yellow cards: 1
-
Clearances: 2
-
Interceptions: 1
-
Tackles: 5
-
SofaScore rating: 6.8
Once again, Mkhitaryan confirmed his importance to Inter in the highest-level matches, demonstrating not only experience but also incredible dedication.