The symbolic baton has been passed. From now on, Milan’s Inter officially becomes the club where Henrikh Mkhitaryan has played the most matches in his European career.
The match against Verona was the 141st for the Armenian midfielder in the Nerazzurri shirt. Thus, Inter surpassed Borussia Dortmund (140 matches), which had long remained Mkhitaryan’s main European club. Now, that honorable title passes to Simone Inzaghi’s team.
Mkhitaryan is currently in his third season with the Milan giants, and during this time he has not only adapted but become one of the key figures of the team. He regularly starts matches, plays at a high level, and consistently performs with the reliability appreciated by both the coach and fans.
Throughout his eventful career, Mkhitaryan has played for a number of European clubs, leaving a lasting mark at each. At Shakhtar, he was the top scorer; at Dortmund, he had a phenomenal 2015/16 season; in England, he won the Europa League with Manchester United and shone at Arsenal; while at Roma, he became a team leader and won the Conference League. But it seems that at Inter, he has found the perfect balance between experience, physical readiness, and a systemic role in the team.
Here is the ranking of clubs by Mkhitaryan’s number of appearances:
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Inter — 141 matches
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Borussia Dortmund — 140 matches
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Roma — 117 matches
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Shakhtar Donetsk — 106 matches
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Manchester United — 63 matches
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Arsenal — 59 matches
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Pyunik — 47 matches
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Metalurh Donetsk — 45 matches
The next step is the Champions League semifinal against Barcelona, which will take place on Tuesday, May 6. This will be Mkhitaryan’s 142nd match for Inter — and possibly one of the most important of his club career.