Author of a hat-trick this Thursday evening against Ajax Amsterdam (4-3), including the winning goal, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang appeared particularly restrained. The hero of the evening explained it on the microphone of RMC Sport after the meeting.
A resounding hat-trick, a stunning victory snatched in added time… but extremely contained emotion. Hero of the evening this Thursday during the Europa League meeting between OM and Ajax Amsterdam (4-3), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang showed a rather disconcerting attitude on the pitch at the Vélodrome.
>> Relive OM-Ajax (4-3)
When the score opened in the 9th minute from a penalty, the Gabonese striker showed no outpouring of joy. Even more surprising: just after his return from the locker room (3-2, 48th), a little gem which could have been celebrated in a much more ostentatious way, he contented himself with a black look then a pointing finger toward the sky. We therefore had to wait for the winning penalty goal in added time to be entitled to more demonstrative joy, with his traditional somersault by way of celebration.
So how can we explain such behavior in the middle of this intoxicating evening? “My celebration? I am a human person and we must remain humble in these moments”, simply commented the former Arsenal and Barça striker at the microphone of RMC Sport. Relaunched several times, he ended up developing a little more, referring – between the lines – to the complicated period he has just gone through.
Strongly criticized in recent weeks
“I thank my teammates for making me work every day, for being with me and for the support I received with certain words that feel good in moments like this. I am very touched by this solidarity,” confided the Marseillais.
Lacking success in Ligue 1, with only one achievement, Aubameyang has suffered numerous criticisms in recent weeks. During his exit at the end of the match between OM and Lille at the beginning of the month (0-0), he was, for example, whistled by the Vélodrome.
Already author of a double in the first leg in Amsterdam, Aubameyang in any case took advantage of this double confrontation to boost his stats. And gained a little confidence. “I never doubted him but it’s obviously hard when an attacker doesn’t score, especially here, we kill him when things don’t go well,” said Gennaro Gattuso at the microphone of RMC Sport.
“A hat-trick that launches my adventure at OM? I hope so. I can only be happy. When you score, you’re happy as an attacker,” concluded the main player. The hat-trick scored this evening in front of a melting Vélodrome should in any case give him a little respite.