Mkhitaryan Answers Fans' Questions

The midfielder of the Armenian national team and London’s Arsenal, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, has answered fans' questions on Reddit.

The Armenian footballer also mentioned his online interview on his Twitter microblog.

- Do you always follow a pre-planned strategy during games, or do you try to create your own?

- You have a plan before the game, but it doesn’t always work out as you intended. You need to think quickly and make decisions as fast as possible. If you are alone and facing an opponent’s defender, you don’t have much time to think. I’ve worked under 10 coaches, each with a different approach. I've learned a lot from them—how to find common ground with a coach and how to work with them. I am grateful to each of them for that experience.

- Can you tell us the full story behind the “Yo Pierre!” video? What was your reaction when you learned that Aubameyang was joining Arsenal?

- When I filmed that video, he hadn’t completely signed with Arsenal yet. We wanted to have a similar video in case he moved. I agreed and was happy about it. When I heard he was transferring, I just said, “Hey, Pierre, do you want to move?”

- Does being fluent in seven languages help in the locker room, or do you communicate with everyone in English?

- It's good to know different languages, but sometimes it confuses you. When you want to find the right word in a specific language, you can get mixed up. It’s tough to know multiple languages.

- What is your favorite language and which one do you find the most difficult?

- I think German is the most difficult for me because I didn’t fully know it. I learned German on my own to facilitate communication with teammates and others. Armenian is the easiest for me since it’s my native language. In school, I didn’t focus much on English because I learned French. I started learning English with a dream of moving to a European club. I had private lessons, but after moving to Ukraine, I didn’t use English. It was essential in Germany.

- Who would you like to play with on the same team?

- There are many great players, but I would love to play with my father. I think we would be great teammates. It would be nice to play with him. I’ve always watched his games on video. Everyone says he was a good football player.

- Do you feel tension before matches, or are you mentally prepared for every game?

- Sometimes there is tension, but once you get on the field and touch the ball, you start focusing on the game. Like I said, the pre-planned strategy doesn’t always work.

- Do you like the band “System of a Down”?

- I don’t listen to rock, but I like them because they are Armenian.

- Do you like pineapple pizza?

- I don’t like it when sweet is mixed with pizza.

- Do you have a hidden talent?

- I don’t have a hidden talent. I would like to have one and wish no one knew about it, but even if I had one, I would want to know what talent it is.

- What is your favorite Armenian dish?

- I love all Armenian dishes. Whether it’s kebab, khash, etc.

- Who is the best football player you’ve ever played against?

- The best player I've played against is Messi. I would also like to mention Andrea Pirlo and Xavi.