Armenian veteran Henrikh Mkhitaryan used a public appearance at the Teatro Sociale during the Trento Sports Festival to reflect on his relationships with top managers, including José Mourinho. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, he credited Mourinho with shaping his career mindset.

Mkhitaryan said Mourinho taught him the importance of intensity and responsibility, pushing players to commit fully in every match. He described Mourinho as a demanding but fair leader, someone who showed him the weight of professionalism beyond mere tactics.

Detailing their relationship, the Inter midfielder said: “A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I said yes. The relationship wasn’t easy at first, but he helped me grow as a person. He wanted to put me through the wringer to see if I could get out of it. I never gave up.”

“In the end, he explained to me what the world of football is like. I’m grateful to him. I met him again at Roma, and there we understood each other completely.” 

Besides Mourinho, Mkhitaryan also joked about a longstanding bet with Jürgen Klopp, quipping: “Klopp still owes me €50 from a wager I won with two goals.” The lighthearted moment came among more serious reflections about leadership and player growth.

This comes after some comments emerged from the midfielder about a difficult relationship with Mourinho at Manchester United. But it is clear that the Armenian learnt quite a bit during the stint.