Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is desperate to start Chelsea’s London derby against Arsenal and settle a score with Gunners boss Mikel Arteta.
Arteta and Aubameyang are thought to have not spoken since the striker was stripped of the Arsenal captaincy, made to train alone and had his contract terminated so he could join Barcelona on a free transfer.
Aubameyang fanned the flames ahead of his first game against his former club with Chelsea by taking part in a promotional advert in which he said: “Arsenal, nothing personal. I’m back. I’m blue. I’m ready.”
But while it is not personal between Aubameyang and Arsenal, and he holds no grudge towards the club, his former team-mates, staff or the fans, the striker wants to get one over Arteta, who his associates believe made their fall-out personal.
Before his sacking, former Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel hinted at Aubameyang’s desire to prove a point to Arteta by saying: “If he wants to show somebody in London he’s better than certain people think he is, then the more (goals) the better.”
It is why tomorrow’s Arsenal fixture is the first one Aubameyang would have looked for when he returned to England from Barcelona, and why he has extra motivation to start the game at Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal are top of the Premier League table and Aubameyang’s first priority is to help sixth-placed Chelsea try to close the gap on their rivals.
But settling a score with Arteta would also be a cause for celebration for Aubameyang, who believes he was unfairly treated by the Spaniard and made a scapegoat for poor results that put Arteta under pressure.
Aubameyang was left isolated when Arteta not only made him train alone, but made sure he could not see his team-mates at the club’s Colney base.
Arteta’s treatment of Aubameyang was laid bare by former Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno, who told German tabloid Bild: “I was allowed to go to my team-mates in the dressing room. It was different with Aubameyang, who was only allowed into the dressing room when no one was there.”
0 Comments