‘From December the season was over’ – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sheds light on difficult Chelsea stay

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (34) has addressed his difficult time at Chelsea during a wide-ranging interview with L’Équipe . 

On the 2nd of September, the Gabonese striker joined the London club after just half a season playing for Barcelona. It was billed as a reunion for the forward, as he joined up with his former Borussia Dortmund manager, Thomas Tuchel. 

However, after only a week, the manager who had been so keen to bring the striker in was gone. Tuchel had been sacked on the 7th of September and was replaced by Graham Potter. Despite the change in management, Aubameyang featured in the new manager’s plans although this situation soon changed. 

The striker was never allowed to play the full 90 minutes of a game at Chelsea and was omitted from their Champions League squad after the group stages. As the striker explains to L’Équipe , “ I understood from December, that the season was over, I already wanted to leave, but you can’t play for more than three clubs .” An eight-minute appearance for Barcelona in the first game of the season had ruined his eligibility. 

“ I asked myself: is this what it means to be old? And I answered: It’s you who decides. Either you decide to follow this path and say to yourself maybe it’s old age. Or you say, no, that’s bullsh*t, I still have things to do ,” Aubameyang explains. 

He continues, “ I was disappointed and jaded, I got a little… ‘lost,’ that’s a big word, but I let myself go .” The forward has certainly found himself since, and tonight will look to take his first steps to guiding Olympique de Marseille into the Europa League final . 

GFFN | Nick Hartland