Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is proving “rotten apple” label wrong despite Arsenal example
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s lifestyle away from football has sometimes interfered with his career, but the former Arsenal star is proving his detractors wrong following an excellent six months at Barcelona.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is proving “rotten apple” label wrong despite Arsenal example: Pierre-Emerick After an amazing first six months at Barcelona, Aubameyang has returned with a bang, showing that the former Arsenal striker may have finally put his “rotten apple” tag behind him for good. This is evidenced by the fact that Aubameyang is back with a bang.
The attacker, who is turning 33 today, joined the Blaugrana in January on a free transfer after he decided to end his contract with the Gunners. Today is his birthday. And he didn’t spend any time making an impression, scoring 11 goals in his first 15 games in La Liga and playing a pivotal role in the team’s 4-0 victory over Real Madrid in the Clasico.
Given how quickly he got off the ground at Arsenal, no one at the club is surprised to hear that he has adjusted to life in Spain like a duck to water. He had a strong start for the club when he initially came at the Emirates. After being acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a fee of £55 million, Aubameyang rapidly established himself as a fan favorite by scoring 10 goals for the club in his first 13 matches after making the switch.
Because of his blistering speed and clinical finishing, he was a nightmare for the defenders of the other team and a dream for the players who were passing to him behind the ball. It prompted the question as to why Borussia Dortmund would be willing to part ways with a striker who had scored 98 goals in 144 league matches throughout the course of his career.
On the other hand, if they had paid attention to the criticisms leveled about Aubameyang’s demeanor, they could have had second thoughts. After committing a number of infractions of the rules of conduct, it was made abundantly clear to former Germany national team player Matthias Sammer that he was a “rotten fruit” who would never change his ways.
Away from the field of play, the glitz and glamour that come with being a rich footballer influenced his frame of mind. According to The Daily Mail, his relationship with Tuchel took a turn for the worse when he began doing things such as jetting off to a pool party just 48 hours before a crucial game and arriving late for training after spending the night in Milan. As a result, this should not have come as a surprise.
Similarly, when playing for Arsenal, Aubameyang started pushing the limits of what was considered acceptable by consistently arriving late to training and attending sponsor events without prior authorization. When Mikel Arteta was hired as coach in 2019, Aubameyang’s style was always going to collide with the Spanish coach’s ideology as a disciplinarian. Sammer’s views seemed to ring true, and when Arteta was hired, it was in 2019, Aubameyang’s laissez-faire manner.
When Aubameyang returned home from international duty late in December 2021, it would prove to be the final straw for the relationship. After being relieved of his captaincy and benched for Arsenal’s upcoming match, Arteta ultimately decided to permanently banish him from the team.
At that point, he made the decision to rip up his contract in order to join Barca, which, on paper, appeared to be a smart option given that his mother lives in the area. Aubameyang has made the most of this opportunity for a new beginning, which he has seized with both hands.
