Inter midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan has opened up about the process of his career that has led him to this point with the Nerazzurri.

Speaking in the official matchday programme for this evening’s match against his former side Roma, the 33-year-old reflected on the twists and turns that his journey in football has taken, and also noted the personal influence of former Nerazzurri midfielder Djorkaeff on his game and on him personally.

Mkhitaryan joined Inter in the summer on a free transfer from Roma, and now he will face his former side the Giallorossi for the first time in Serie A.

The Armenian had established himself in European football playing for the likes of Shakhtar Donetsk, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United, and Arsenal before coming to Serie A and then proving himself in Italy for three seasons with the Giallorossi.

Things have not always been straightforward for the 33-year-old, but now he is ready to continue proving himself with Inter.

Of his greatest inspirations, Mkhitaryan named “My family, my teammates, the coaches, the fans, each of these people has made a contribution to my career.”

The Armenian admitted that the path so far “Has sometimes not been easy, and it’s been a long one.”

Of life in Milan upon his move to Inter, he said that “I like Milan, but I haven’t had the opportunity to see that much of it yet, I hope to do so soon.”

Regarding some of his personal idols, Mkhitaryan said that “My first idol was my father, then I was impressed by Zidane and Roberto Baggio. At Inter there was another player who was important for me, Youri Djorkaeff, partly for his Armenian origins.”

And then the 33-year-old reflected on one of his most memorable goals, recalling that “At the time of Manchester United I scored a goal that remains special for me.”

“It was December 26 and we were playing against Sunderland, I was just coming back from an injury and I came on as a substitute,” he continued. “Near the end of the game I received the ball from Ibrahimovic and the only way I possibly could have scored was how I did, with a scorpion kick.”

“At first I wasn’t really able to understand what I had managed to do,” he noted. “It was only really when I watched it back after that I really understood what I’d done.”