(CNN)Nine days before their season-defining Europa League final clash with rivals Chelsea in Baku, Arsenal's preparations suffered a not insignificant setback.
"We're very disappointed to announce that Henrikh Mkhitaryan will not be travelling with the squad for our #UELfinal against Chelsea," tweeted Arsenal.
On any other day this could be a fairly mundane update on a player cruelly struck down by injury right on the cusp of what would be one of the biggest games of his career.