Henrikh such a trailblazer
HENRIKH MKHITARYAN is on a mission to make Champions League history this season.
The Manchester United playmaker wants to become the first Armenian to win the competition.
Mkhitaryan has already set a first for his country. That came last season when he helped
United win the Europa League in Stockholm with a 2-0 win in the final against Ajax.
Now he is eyeing success in Europe’s premier competition.
Micki, as he is known at Old Trafford, is expected to play in Wednesday’s match in Moscow against CSKA and said: “The game of my life was last season’s
Europa League Final. That’s because it was the first European trophy for me and the first one ever for an Armenian.
“Before the game I was only dreaming about scoring and winning the game. I was thinking how good it would feel if we could win the game and
I could hold the trophy on my head.
“And even when I scored I still felt I was dreaming.
“Even as it happened, I couldn’t quite believe that I’d scored and we were leading
2-0 and in a few more minutes we were going to get the trophy.
“It was something very exciting for me personally and also for Armenia.”
Mkhitaryan, 28 (right) was a £26million signing from Borussia Dortmund by United boss Jose
Mourinho. And after a slow start, he has become a key player in his manager’s thinking.
Now he is excited about the next European challenge and added: “Winning the Europa League won us a place in the Champions League.
“That means we can look back on last season and feel satisfied with ourselves.
“I know it was painful to be sixth in the Premier League but with that Europa League Final that we won we created a new chapter.
“We have given ourselves the chance to show that. This season there is a challenge to be better in the Premier League.
“But the new challenge is to go as far as we can in the Champions League.”
Mourinho said of United’s return to the Champions League: “This is the top of football. It’s good for the players, it’s good for me and it’s good for the club to be at this level.”
PAUL HETHERINGTON