Fit-again Mkhitaryan hoping to inspire turnaround

A goalscoring return to the starting line-up at the weekend was not enough to help the Giallorossi beat Bologna at the Stadio Olimpico, continuing what has been a rocky start to 2020.

With Paulo Fonseca’s side heading to Bergamo on Saturday for an important game in the race for Champions League qualification, Mkhitaryan is eager to make up for lost time and help his side get back on track.

Here’s what the Armenian had to say, as he spoke to the club's official match programme ahead of the game at the Gewiss Arena.

Let’s start by the numbers: 10 appearances, 541 minutes played and four goals. You’ve scored a lot of goals considering how much you’ve played…

“Yes, but it’s not enough. Right now I want to do everything I can to help the team; score more goals, provide more assists and help the team to win more games.”

After overcoming injury, how close are you to finding your best form again?

“I feel good. I’m disappointed to have missed a few key games – the derby, and against Juventus – but that wasn’t something I could control and I worked hard to get back as soon as possible.”

Against Bologna you scored your fourth goal of the season, although the team lost the game.

“I would have preferred not to score if it meant we won. For me what matters most is the team not the individual statistics. It would have been better to take the three points and climb the table.”

The Roma we saw in the derby played so well; what’s happened since then?

“What’s happened to us is not so strange – because anything can happen in football. One day you feel good and the game goes well, then a week later with a different opponent things happen and the performance is different. Then the results start to go.

"It can happen in football, but we need to work with focus and belief in our ability. Some days you are on top and others you aren’t. We need to make sure we do everything we can to win the upcoming games.”

Has training this week given you a chance to work on a few things to address how 2020 has started?

“We’ve spoken a bit amongst ourselves about what’s happened, but not too much. It’s better to forget the games we’ve already played and keep fresh and clear in our minds ahead of the challenges still to come.”

The next game is in Bergamo, against an Atalanta side that are direct rivals in the league…

“We all know the importance of this game. We have to give everything to try and win, even if it won’t be easy. Nevergtheless, it will be a different game to the first meeting – where we lost 2-0 at the Olimpico.”

February is a particularly important month for the club – with the Atalanta game and then Europa League meetings with Gent.

“We have a great squad and the boss makes sure everyone is involved, he rotates things. Everyone needs to be ready and take their own personal responsibility to be ready to go out there in any of the upcoming games.

"We have to be ready physically and mentally, without worrying about the criticism we’ve hard, and without putting too much pressure on ourselves either. It’ll be an important month.”

Despite the tough current spell, the club can still achieve everything it wants to this season. What does the squad need to do to get back on the right track?

“We know that this squad has a lot of talent. Everyone needs to do everything we can. It’s not just about the 11 who go out there on the pitch, but also those on the bench and everyone who works behind the scenes as well. We need to be united, we need to work hard and we need to think positively. To win.”