Chelsea sacked their Champions League winning manager Thomas Tuchel, after an abysmal run of results under the German. The club quickly moved on with the appointment of Brighton’s Graham Potter, who has already overseen his first game in charge. However, it seems one particular Blues’ player is yet to cope with Tuchel’s axe. Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arizzabalaga has revealed the club’s new signing Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang has been deeply affected by the sacking.
Aubameyang was signed in the deadline day by Thomas Tuchel to help him solve his striker problems. The former Barca striker had already worked with the German at Borussia Dortmund and hence green-light the move immediately. However, the reunion of former Dortmund associates lasted only one game as Tuchel was ousted after the loss to Dinamo Zagreb.
Kepa suggests Thomas Tuchel’s firing was too much to handle for Aubameyang
Aubameyang has experienced a number of major events in his life since the turn of the year. He was first released by his former club Arsenal in January, and then snapped up by Barcelona on a three-year contract on the deadline day of the winter transfer market. He enjoyed the remainder of the 21/22 season, netting 12 goals in just 22 games for the Catalans.
He again was on the move this summer, signing for Chelsea on the deadline day for £10 million. Thomas Tuchel wanted a new no.9 after both of his strikers Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner left the club. Aubameyang was acquired by Chelsea for Tuchel, as the two shared a stellar history of working together. The Gabonese striker had racked up a massive 79 goals in just 95 appearances at Signal Iduna Park under Tuchel.
However, their reunion at Stamford Bridge was a very short lived one as the 49-year-old got the sack after just one game in which Aubameyang featured. The defeat at the hands of Dinamo Zagreb proved to be too much to take in for the club’s new owner Todd Boehly who with immediate effect parted ways with Tuchel. Now, Kepa has given an insight on how the 33-year-old striker reacted to the unfortunate sacking. The Spaniard said:
“The truth is that the first days he arrived a little scared. He was a little in shock, a lot of change, the last two or three days were very crazy for him, everything that happened to him was a misfortune.”
It is quite justified the way Aubameyang has felt about the firing of his beloved coach. He signed for the Blues on the pretext of getting to work with Thomas Tuchel for at least another three years, but it wasn’t to be the case. The striker himself has opened up about the his former gaffer’s axe, days after his arrival at the club. Speaking to Hayters TV post the Blues’ drab draw against RB Salzburg in Graham Potter’s first game in charge, Aubameyang said:
“Everyone knows the relationship that I had with Thomas [Tuchel]. It’s always sad when someone leaves the club. Obviously, I just saw him for a few days. When you play football you have to adapt very quickly to some moments in the season, this can happen.
“I think he was a bit frustrated and sad, obviously. I will try to talk to him as soon as possible. It’s been a crazy week for all of us, that’s part of life, we have to adapt. I think it’s a bit of sadness at the moment, hopefully we’ll get back to better days soon. Obviously, I think it’s a bit strange for everybody, not only for me, but as I said, this is football, you have to adapt. When you play for Chelsea you need results as soon as possible, that’s why I’m a bit frustrated today.”
While Aubameyang will now have to do without his former coach, he still has found hope in Potter who started the striker against Salzburg in the Champions League. However, the 33-year-old is yet to open his scoring account for the West Londoners.