Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang did not mince his words when assessing his time at Olympique de Marseille. Now wearing the colours of Deportivo La Coruña, the Gabonese striker delivered a particularly blunt analysis of his Marseille experience, which clearly left its mark on him.
A 'very gruelling' season
'It was a very, very gruelling season,' the former Marseille man confides. He points in particular to the numerous changes that took place within the club, which he says created an especially difficult context to navigate.
'It was not a healthy and stable environment.'
Aubameyang is not seeking to single out one culprit, however. In his view, players, coaching staff and management all share a part of the responsibility. He particularly regrets a breakdown in communication and the group's inability to form that protective 'bubble' that is essential for shielding oneself from the external turbulence inherent to the Marseille context.
Chaos gradually took hold
The Gabonese forward describes a season that descended into disorder as the weeks went by. After the difficulties in the Champions League, he believes OM still had objectives to fight for, but that every poor result took on disproportionate dimensions. The overriding feeling at the time? That 'everything was chaotic', and that the slightest defeat gave the impression that everything was falling apart.
A departure wanted by the club, not the player
Contrary to what his exit might suggest, Aubameyang states that he would have liked to stay in Marseille. It was the club that decided in favour of his departure, and he says he did not wish to oppose it. His transfer to Deportivo La Coruña was ultimately completed for around 1.5 million euros.
His account thus paints a striking picture of that final season: a player ready to continue the adventure, but overtaken by institutional instability and a lack of communication that contributed greatly to the collective failure.
A warning for OM
For the Marseille club, these statements ring as a painful reminder: the problems of last season went well beyond the purely sporting dimension. The environment surrounding the team also weighed heavily.
Comments
By posting, you agree to our privacy policy.