Former Arsenal and Chelsea star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was accused of ‘putting a knife in the back’ of Mikel Arteta as their relationship disintegrated.
Aubameyang delivered both controversy and goals following his move to the Gunners in January 2018 for a then-club-record fee as one of Arsene Wenger’s final signings. The Frenchman’s successor Unai Emery was sacked in November 2019, with Arteta taking his place.
After a promising start, including 2020’s FA Cup triumph, it wasn’t long before their relationship fell apart. In early 2021, during the Covid campaign when matches were played behind closed doors, the Gabon icon was dropped for a north London derby after turning up late.
It wasn’t Aubameyang’s first or last disciplinary breach and he was eventually stripped of the captaincy. After returning late following a trip to his home in France for personal reasons, Arteta and had a row Aubameyang which hastened the striker’s departure.
Aubameyang recalled to Colinterview: “I arrive, the coach finishes his meeting and then he grabs me and he completely tears into me. He shouts at me like I’m crazy, he says, ‘You put a knife in my back. You can’t do that to me given the times we’re going through’.
“At that moment I tell myself that I’m not going to answer him because it’s going to end angrily. I didn’t go partying. He knows very well the reason for my departure, so at that moment, I don’t understand why he is lecturing me like this.
Aubameyang delivered both controversy and goals following his move to the Gunners in January 2018 for a then-club-record fee as one of Arsene Wenger’s final signings. The Frenchman’s successor Unai Emery was sacked in November 2019, with Arteta taking his place.
After a promising start, including 2020’s FA Cup triumph, it wasn’t long before their relationship fell apart. In early 2021, during the Covid campaign when matches were played behind closed doors, the Gabon icon was dropped for a north London derby after turning up late.
It wasn’t Aubameyang’s first or last disciplinary breach and he was eventually stripped of the captaincy. After returning late following a trip to his home in France for personal reasons, Arteta and had a row Aubameyang which hastened the striker’s departure.
Aubameyang recalled to Colinterview: “I arrive, the coach finishes his meeting and then he grabs me and he completely tears into me. He shouts at me like I’m crazy, he says, ‘You put a knife in my back. You can’t do that to me given the times we’re going through’.
“At that moment I tell myself that I’m not going to answer him because it’s going to end angrily. I didn’t go partying. He knows very well the reason for my departure, so at that moment, I don’t understand why he is lecturing me like this.
“I go home and the doctor calls me and says, ‘Tomorrow, the coach doesn’t want you to be there’. I said ‘OK’, I knew the next match was coming and I said to myself, ‘Damn once again everyone is going to talk about it, it’s going to be a mess, what is this crazy thing?’ I couldn’t understand it.”
Aubameyang annoyed Arsenal once again as he tried to force through a move to Barcelona, flying to Catalonia before a transfer had even been agreed. He explained: “Once again, [Arteta] explains why he is against me during this period when it was complicated for the club, that I have to be an example and that I couldn’t do that.
“At that moment, I said, ‘I admit that I have my share of responsibility, but the real cause, I think you can understand if you are a little bit human. You can understand my move’. After that, it was over, I stayed for a month training on my own while waiting for the break.”
