Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang smiles again and OM breathes

The Marseille striker scored his fourth goal of the week against Rennes on Sunday at the end of the 14th day of Ligue 1.

Has Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s Marseille adventure finally launched? In any case, this is the trend in Marseille, after a week which saw the Gabonese striker score four goals in two matches. After his hat-trick on Thursday, November 30 in the Europa League against Ajax Amsterdam, “Aubam” did it again on Sunday, December 3, at the end of the 14th day of Ligue 1. Scorer on a penalty at the start of the match, the former Barcelona player put OM on the path to a first league success since October 8.

If three of the four goals scored by the striker this week were from penalties, this still testifies to a return to form for the Marseillais, after a complicated start to the season to which he returned on Saturday, before challenging Rennes. “I want to give a lot more. I had an almost blank season since I didn’t play last year. Obviously it takes time to get back into rhythm.”explained OM number ten.

The European paradox

This lack of success earned Aubameyang copious whistles on Thursday, when the composition of OM was announced, in a Vélodrome that was less and less patient with its star. Touched in his pride, the Gabonese did not celebrate his first two achievements of the evening, before finding his smile again and his signature somersault on the third, like against Rennes on Sunday. It must be said that the Marseille public had difficulty understanding the Aubameyang paradox, almost silent in Ligue 1 (one goal before Rennes) and prolific in Europe (seven goals in seven matches).

“We must not forget that Ligue 1 is also a very competitive, very difficult championship. We cannot think that we can arrive and do what we want, the way we want.”, advanced the scorer on Saturday, who never lost his calm despite the headwinds on the Old Port. He owes it to his experience acquired at Dortmund, Arsenal or Barcelona, ​​but also to his teammates. “In a period like this, you have to be strong. But if you’re not surrounded by positive people, it’s complicated. So I have to thank my teammates a lot, because throughout these weeks, I have had quite a few positive discussions.”

If he made amends at the start of the season, who “touch” and who put him “balls”, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has not been helped by the instability of OM since this summer. Between the changes of coaches and systems, the Gabonese still did well. After his goal against Rennes, he is the most decisive Marseillais of the season, with nine goals and two assists, ahead of Jonathan Clauss (two goals, five assists).

Always defended at a press conference by Gennaro Gattuso, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang returned the favor to his coach. Because if OM won their two matches of the week, thus giving the Italian coach a little breathing space, the Marseillais are far from having convinced in the game. Feverish defensively and victorious thanks to the facts of the game which turned To their advantage, the Olympians are far from cured. But thanks to the return to form of their star, they are breathing a little easier. This is what OM expects of her: to be decisive when the group falters, to dispel doubts.