Mkhitaryan left at home, yet Qarabag manager 'didn't want politics to interrupt the sport'

Henrikh Mkhitaryan will miss Arsenal's Europa League trip to play Qarabag due to the difficulties presented by an Armenian entering Azerbijan.

One of Armenia's most recognisable figures and the captain of the country's national team, it would have been a complicated process to secure him a visa, before even thinking about the controversy his arrival in the country would cause.

Arsenal have left Mkhitaryan at home due to long standing hostilities that have taken place between the two nations.

"I didn't want politics to interrupt the sport but we could not do anything on this issue," he told the 'Daily Mail'.

"But Arsenal Football Club tried to save this player but it is not a matter for us if he is coming or not.

"If Henrikh Mkhitaryan would come to Azerbaijan it is not the first time, but until now a lot of Armenian sportsmen came to Azerbaijan but it is the choice of Arsenal that they didn't send (him).

"Arsenal may be afraid that in front of 60,000 Azerbaijani fans, Mkhitaryan has some pressure and that is why they didn't send Mkhitaryan", he added.