Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has opened up about his frustrating time at Chelsea, labeling the club as “a mess” during his brief stint at Stamford Bridge. The former Arsenal captain, signed from Barcelona in 2022, lasted less than a year, netting only three goals.
Aubameyang’s challenges at Chelsea began almost immediately. Thomas Tuchel, who had previously managed him at Borussia Dortmund and was instrumental in his transfer, was sacked just five days after his arrival. But Presently Thomas Tuchel is Holding a post of An England Manger
The club replaced Tuchel with Graham Potter, but Aubameyang found himself sidelined, even being excluded from the Champions League squad.
Recalling the period, Aubameyang told The Athletic, “That’s when I started feeling disrespected. They even tried sending me on loan to the U.S., and I said, ‘No chance.’ From then on, I knew the season was over for me.”
Aubameyang’s Chelsea debut was bittersweet. He ignored medical advice to play in Tuchel’s final game, a Champions League loss to Dinamo Zagreb.
“I wanted to show my commitment, but it turned out to be the worst game of my life,” he admitted. “I didn’t even recognize Tuchel that day; he seemed different, like something was wrong. The next day, he was gone.”
Despite interim manager Frank Lampard’s efforts to communicate, Aubameyang’s situation didn’t improve. “Lampard told me he needed me, but later apologized, saying the decision wasn’t his but from higher-ups,” he shared.
Reflecting on Chelsea’s state at the time, Aubameyang said the environment was chaotic. “It didn’t feel like a football team, more like a rugby locker room.
Players like Hakim Ziyech, Denis Zakaria, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Romelu Lukaku kept it lighthearted, but the connection wasn’t there.”
Aubameyang acknowledged the fans expected him to replicate his Arsenal form, where he scored 92 goals in 163 games. Then he made a move to Chelsea despite all the wonderful time he had in Arsenal as their Captain under Mikel Arteta as their Manager
“I wasn’t ready for that; I came from a challenging time in Barcelona. It was a chaotic year, but I needed that break,” he concluded.
Now playing in the Saudi Pro League with Al Qadsiah, Aubameyang has left the tumult of Chelsea behind, but the experience remains a vivid memory of missed opportunities and mismanagement.