The Resurrection of Aubameyang

Aubameyang, at the time of scoring the 0-4 to Madrid.SUSANA VERA (REUTERS)

Two courses ago, after Luis Suárez was sold to Atlético, Barcelona worked tirelessly to replace him with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Laval, France; 32 years old).

The sports area had held two meetings – the first with the player's agent in London and the second with the footballer at his father's house in Sitges – and it seemed that everything would be resolved in favor of Barça.

But Arsenal's renewal offer was on the rise (just over eight million) and Aubameyang, team captain and right eye of the fans, decided to stay where he was.

A year and a half later, when the relationship with the coach, Mikel Arteta, was non-existent and his performance had decreased significantly, the Gabonese (on his father's side, from a Spanish mother) already knew that he would sign for Barcelona ,

on planet football.

"Hello from the finished player," Aubameyang wrote on social networks after emphasizing himself in the classic with two goals and as many celebrations, the first with his usual deadly forward and the second imitating Goku, a cartoon character.

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Aubameyang got off to a good start in the Barcelona dressing room from day one.

“He We were surprised that he speaks Spanish so well and that has made things easier for him, he is always laughing with Dembélé and Alves.

That does not mean that when we do exercises, like in games on a small field, he always wants to win because he is super competitive, ”they reveal from the dressing room.

Although his irruption on the table has been even better, a footballer who has earned ownership with goals.

“He arrived a little lacking in rhythm, not much”, points out a technician from the Ciudad Deportiva;

“But we were very clear about what he could give us because he is very fast and he has many records: he knows how to identify himself as the second man and play in front of third parties;

he gives us life when the exit to the interiors is covered;

he fixes the central defenders very well and plays to the face;

it sees the spaces very well and attacks them;

and in the area he is a very good finisher.

That and that in high pressure it also gives us a lot”.

Something that at times seemed to be forgotten at Arsenal.

Since Arteta arrived on the bench of the English team, Aubameyang lowered the numbers and lost the confidence of the coach.

Which made him see the bench on occasion to his annoyance, multiplied later because he left him without playing against Tottenham for being late for the game due to traffic.

The straw that broke the camel's back, in any case, was that he was stripped of the captaincy and removed from the team after delaying his return to the club for a day and without notice after traveling to France to see his mother.

"We hope that all our players, and especially our captain, work according to the rules that we all agree on," resolved Arteta, supported by the

(He has Arsenal fourth and in Champions League positions after six years without the club stepping on the competition);

"Your output is the solution, not a problem."

A few weeks later, Aubameyang arrived at Barcelona for free —the same day the market closed because he knew that the English club would give him the letter of freedom— to recover the pulse of the team along with the other winter signings (Adama, Alves and Ferran Towers).

Between the four reinforcements they have given 12 assists and participated in 24 of the 37 goals (60%) that the team has made in the 16 games that have been played since they arrived on the market.

sharp aim

The change of scenery has been wonderful for Aubameyang, who has returned to being that lethal striker who dazzled at Dortmund and who remained in the elite at Arsenal.

The numbers express it this way, since he has nine goals in 11 games (and 20 shots) since he arrived at the Camp Nou.

In the League, seven in seven with spectacular records, since he is the second player who achieves the most shots per duel (4.1), only behind Bebe (4.5) and the same as Benzema, but the one who best focuses on goal (2.6), followed by Benzema (2), Memphis and Asensio (1.9).

In addition, he is the one with the best goal conversion percentage (35%), ahead of Juanmi (31%) and Pere Milla (28%).

“We trusted him to score goals but he is also making the difference.

That is because he has understood our football very quickly”,

points out a Barça worker from the Ciudad Deportiva;

“So with Arteta, who also has very similar concepts because he worked with Guardiola, he did learn a lot even if the relationship wasn't good”.

They believe the same in the locker room: “He moves very well and since he dribbles and is very fast, stopping him is difficult.

With him and the other strikers it's very difficult for them to make us two against one unless it's on the wings”.

It is the resurrection of Aubameyang, a player who seemed to end his career early and who has taken advantage of the extra ball at Barcelona.

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