The Athletic conducted a special interview with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who reminisced about his experiences at Chelsea and Marseille, while also looking ahead to his future.

Transferring to Chelsea with Bittersweet Feelings

In the summer of 2022, Aubameyang signed a two-year contract with Chelsea after being signed from Barcelona. The main reason for this move was his desire to reunite with Thomas Tuchel, who had coached him at Borussia Dortmund.

"If Tuchel wasn't at Chelsea, I wouldn't have left Barcelona," Aubameyang said. However, just a week after the transfer was completed, Tuchel was fired from Chelsea after their loss in the Champions League to Zagreb Dinamo.

Aubameyang appeared in the game with a protective facial mask over his injuries, but his performance was average. He recalled, "I played despite doctors' advice. When you arrive in a new place, you want to show your dedication immediately. That was the worst game of my life, but I had to play."

Tuchel's Departure and Chelsea's Chaos

Aubameyang recalled that his relationship with Tuchel had changed. "I felt like he had changed after that game," Aubameyang said. "He wasn't the same person who we had in Dortmund a few years ago. We were very close then. He was the only one who really understood me. But at Chelsea, I felt like he wasn't happy."

Days later, Tuchel was replaced by Graham Potter at Chelsea. In October, Aubameyang scored three goals in three games, but his playing time decreased sharply after Chelsea's home defeat to Arsenal. He stated that he had repeatedly requested more playing time from Potter, who admitted a preference for using Haverz.

By February 2023, Aubameyang had been dropped from the European squad and considered a marginal player at the club. He said, "That was when I started to feel very disrespected. They tried to loan me to the US, and I directly said, 'Absolutely not'."

"From that moment on, I knew this season was over for me. I just went to training to keep my fitness up because I knew I wouldn't be playing."

After Potter's dismissal in April and Frank Lampard's temporary stint as manager, Aubameyang understood that his situation was beyond Lampard's control and came from the club's top leadership.

Chaos in the Chelsea Dressing Room

With the expansion of the Chelsea squad and the marginalization of many senior players, Aubameyang described the situation as "a complete mess". "It's not like a football dressing room anymore; it's more like an American football dressing room," he said. "With players like Ziyech, Zakaria, Koulibaly, Lukaku... Thankfully, I'm not alone. We laugh every day to make things slightly better."

Despite this, Aubameyang has no怨言 towards Chelsea and praised the club for now restoring stability and competitiveness. He believes Chelsea needs a "big center-forward" like Didier Drogba in the past to provide scoring guarantees for the team. He admitted that he couldn't fill that role at that time.

"I never established that connection," Aubameyang said. "There was no connection at all. Fans wanted to see the Aubameyang they knew from Arsenal, but I wasn't ready or given the chance then. Due to what happened in Barcelona, I wasn't in my best form. It was a chaotic year for me but a chance to catch my breath, and they didn't want me playing."

A Rebirth in Marseille

In July 2023, Aubameyang signed a three-year contract with Marseille, returning to France where he was born and raised, giving him a chance to prove himself again.

"When I wasn't in the matchday squad for Chelsea, I took a photo and said, 'We'll see who's laughing next season - fan or player,'" he recalled. "When I arrived at Marseille, my mindset was: 'You'll see the real Aubameyang.'"

However, in his first 17 games for Marseille, he scored only five goals. During a game against Lille in November where he was substituted early, fans expressed their dissatisfaction. This motivated him: "I told myself I couldn't accept that," he said. "Now I have to change my game style. I will be more aggressive."

His next performance in the Europa League against Ajax saw him score a hat-trick. His only season in France ended with 30 goals in 5