- Aubameyang struggled during Chelsea stint
- Mental impact of health issues and violent robbery
Left for Marseille
WHAT HAPPENED: Pierre-Emerick's father, Pierre-Francois Aubameyang, revealed in an exclusive interview with L’Équipethat his son's time at Chelsea was a challenging period, referring to it as a "nightmare year". Aubameyang joined Chelsea from Barcelona, reuniting with his former coach Thomas Tuchel from their Borussia Dortmund days. However, Tuchel was soon replaced by Graham Potter as Chelsea's manager. During his one-year stay at the Premier League club, Aubameyang appeared in 21 matches, scoring three goals.
WHAT THEY SAID: Describing the difficulties his son faced, Pierre-Francois recalled health issues that he himself endured, which had a significant impact on his son's mental well-being. He also talked about the violent robbery Aubameyang faced in Barcelona before his move to Chelsea: “His jaw was broken by robbers at his home in Barcelona while trying to protect his wife and children. At Chelsea, he played with a mask at the start. It could only be a nightmare year. Now it’s over. He has a smile. He knows that I’m seeing the light again because I can walk and run since my last operation. And he’s signing for OM,” he said.
WHAT MORE?: “It is a big relief after the nightmare year that he experienced. There was contact with Saudi Arabia, but when OM come forward… who hasn’t dreamed of playing for this club? Especially in Africa. I keep receiving messages from back home,” he said.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Having completed a move to Marseille last week, Aubameyang will be relieved to move on from his time at Chelsea. The Gabonese striker joined the French club on a free transfer, as the Blues sought to trim their squad.
IN TWO PHOTOS:
WHAT NEXT: Marseille continue their pre-season schedule against Dutch side Waalwijk, while Chelsea are touring the USA and will next play Newcastle after defeating Wrexham and Brighton.