Emotional insights

Ex-BVB striker: “Then he went off on me”

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (left) in Borussia Dortmund kit.(Bild: AFP/PATRIK STOLLARZ / AFP)

Former Dortmund and Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has spoken in an interview about one of the most difficult periods of his life. The 34-year-old talks about alcohol problems and an incident with Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta. 

"I'm sure I was depressed. I started drinking a lot, for example. It started just before I was sacked by Arsenal," Aubameyang reveals in an interview with "Colinterview - Oh My Goal". It was probably the hardest time of his life so far, emphasizes the 34-year-old.

It also had to do with the fact that his parents' health deteriorated during this time, according to the Gabon international striker: "It affects a man, it was difficult. How do you get out of it? We often say we have to talk about it. There's no shame in that." 

That's why the Arsenal exit followed
In 2018, Aubameyang moved to Arsenal in the Premier League after a successful spell at Dortmund. He was initially able to build on his successes in London. But in his second season, he surprisingly had to relinquish his captain's armband and was dropped from the squad by coach Arteta.

According to the striker, he was visiting his sick mother in France at the time. This had been discussed with Arteta. However, he returned to London a day late. "When I got back, the coach finished his meeting, grabbed me and went off on me. He shouted at me like I was crazy and said: 'You stabbed me in the back. You can't do that to me in the times we're going through,'" said Aubameyang. His contract was eventually terminated. This was followed by spells at FC Barcelona and Chelsea London. The 34-year-old now plays for Olympique Marseille.