Following protocol, the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA) and Manager Armen Gyulbudaghyants called up 13 international players that play outside of Armenia to the national team for the upcoming European Qualifiers versus Italy and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The FFA have had a tradition of selecting players that play professionally abroad before announcing the domestic players.

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Alexander Karapetyan, PFC Sochi (Russia)

Andre Calisir, Gothenburg (Sweden)

Arsen Beglaryan, Dnipro (Belarus)

Edgar Babayan, Hobro IK (Denmark)

Gevorg Ghazaryan, AEL Limassol (Cyprus)

Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Arsenal (England)

Hovhannes Hambartsumyan, Enosis Neon Paralimni FC (Cyprus)

Kamo Hovhannisyan, FC Zhetysu Taldykorgan (Kazakhstan)

Marcos Pizzelli, Aktobe (Kazakhstan)

Rumyan Hovsepyan, Arda Kardzhali (Bulgaria)

Sarkis Adamyan, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (Germany)

Tigran Barseghyan, FC Kaisar (Kazakhstan)

Varazdat Haroyan, Ural (Russia)

Notable exemptions from the list of players called up include Aras Özbilis and Yura Movsisyan, who are both without a club. Özbiliz recently mutually terminated his contract with Turkish Super League side Besiktas and Movsisyan has been without a club since the end of the last MLS Season.

Adamyan makes his return to the National Team after missing out on the last set of games due to a minor injury. He is yet to feature for TSG Hoffenheim this season and could use a few minutes to regain fitness. Andre Calisir also makes his return to the national team and will provide a much needed boost in central defense alongside Haroyan. Armenia’s scorers from the last round of qualifiers, Barseghyan, Karapetyan and Ghazaryan all return to the squad alongside captain Mkhitaryan.

With a return to fitness for a few of his men, Gyulbudaghyants has some decisions to make as to what lineup he will be putting out against Italy at home on September 5th. Will he choose to stick with the three forwards that have provided him two goals in each of the last matches? Or will he opt to bring in the likes of Adamyan who is clearly one of the more talented players in the squad?

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Questions also loom over which domestic players Gyulbudaghyants will choose to call. With the marquee clash in the Europa League FC Ararat Armenia looming, it is likely that the manager will wait to fill in the rest of his squad. Some of the likely call ups will include Ararat Armenia Petros Avetisyan and Armen Ambartsumyan. Other notable inclusion from the domestic league including Artur Miranyan, Karlen Mkrtchyan, Artak Yedigaryan, Erik Vardanyan and Artak Grigoryan.

Full preview of Armenia vs Italy coming soon! As always, thank you for ready and be sure to follow me on twitter @HyelandersFC!