UEFA were branded an “absolute disgrace” by football fans and former players today after Arsenal confirmed winger Henrikh Mkhitaryan will not be travelling to Baku for the Europa League final.

Once the Premier League side confirmed their participation in next week’s game, it was likely that the Armenian would be unable to play due to the ongoing political dispute between his home country and Azerbaijan.

Despite European football’s governing body’s feeble attempts to ensure the player would be safe while the club were in Baku, the player ultimately decided that it wasn’t worth the risk.