Italian Media Criticize Mkhitaryan’s Performance Against Bodø/Glimt

The Italian press delivered harsh ratings for Inter midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan following the first leg of the Champions League Round of 32 against Bodø/Glimt.

The Milan club suffered a 1–3 away defeat, significantly complicating their task ahead of the return leg scheduled for February 24 at San Siro.

How Italian Media Rated Mkhitaryan

Calciomercato — 4
The outlet gave the Armenian midfielder one of the lowest ratings in the squad. The report noted that Mkhitaryan faced “serious difficulties both physically and technically,” describing his display as “embarrassing considering his experience and level.” Journalists emphasized that among the three veterans relied upon by head coach Cristian Chivu, Mkhitaryan disappointed the most.

FcInterNews — 4.5
The portal stated that bursts of activity from the Norwegian midfield caught the Armenian off guard. According to the authors, he played inaccurately, slowed down attacking movements, and made it easier for the opponent to progress forward.

Tuttomercatoweb — 5
Journalists highlighted the episode of Bodø/Glimt’s first goal, when Mkhitaryan failed to track Fet’s run. Overall, his performance was described as quiet, with an excessive number of mistakes.

Il Messaggero — 5
The newspaper noted that the midfielder rarely became influential and failed to make an impact before being substituted by the coach’s decision.

Leggo — 5
The publication underlined the Armenian’s mistake in the episode leading to the hosts’ first goal, as well as his lack of visible contribution afterward.

Match Overview

It was an extremely difficult match for Inter. Bodø/Glimt secured their third consecutive victory in the tournament and built a solid advantage ahead of the second leg.

For the Norwegian side, Hauge, Høgh and Fet scored. Kasper Høgh particularly stood out, recording one goal and two assists.

Inter’s only goal was scored by Pio Esposito.

Mkhitaryan’s Statistics

The Armenian midfielder spent 77 minutes on the pitch. Despite criticism in the press, analytical platform SofaScore rated his performance at 6.2.

Key stats:

• 77 minutes
• 1 shot
• 27 accurate passes (87%)
• 1 successful dribble (1/1)
• 1 foul won
• 8 dispossessions
• 1 tackle
• 2 interceptions
• 6 ball recoveries
• 3 duels won (out of 6)

The fate of the tie will now be decided in Milan. Despite the defeat, Inter still retain their chances of advancing to the next round of the Champions League.