"Now it’s over. He has a smile” – Former Chelsea striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s father opens up on ‘nightmare’ year
Former Chelsea striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's father, Pierre-Francois Aubameyang, recently said that his son finally has his smile back after a difficult period for the 34-year-old.
The Gabonese striker recently secured a move to Ligue 1 side Olympique de Marseille, after being allowed to leave Chelsea as a free agent.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with L'Équipe, Pierre-Francois Aubameyang said that his son endured a "nightmare year" prior to his move to Marseille.
The 34-year-old striker was a victim of a robbery attack in Spain during his time at Barcelona, where he suffered a broken jaw while trying to protect his family.
Aubameyang then secured a return to the Premier League last summer, joining Chelsea in a €12 million move. However, his role at the club was immediately thrown into jeopardy following the dismissal of former Blues head coach Thomas Tuchel.
Although he started the first few games under new manager Graham Potter, Aubameyang gradually fell behind in the pecking order at the club. He struggled for game time during the majority of his spell in west London.
However, following the appointment of Frank Lampard as interim manager towards the end of last season, Aubameyang featured regularly for the Blues again.
Aubameyang's father also mentioned his own health issues, which he felt had a negative impact on his son's mental health. Speaking to L'Équipe about his son's spell at Chelsea, Pierre-Francois said:
The Gabonese striker endured a difficult 2022-23 campaign upon his return to the Premier League.
Aubameyang, who wore the club's number 9 shirt, was immediately saddled with the responsibility of leading the Blues' attack. He bagged three goals in the first few months of his Chelsea spell,
Read on sportskeeda.com
