Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has opened up about his challenging debut for Chelsea, labeling it the “worst game of my life” as he reflects on the turmoil at the club during his arrival.
The striker joined Chelsea in the summer of 2022 for a reported fee of £10.3 million from Barcelona, just six months after leaving Arsenal following a fallout with manager Mikel Arteta.
Reuniting with Thomas Tuchel, whom he had previously flourished under at Borussia Dortmund, did not last long, as Tuchel was dismissed just five days after Aubameyang’s signing.
The Gabon international played in Tuchel’s final match in charge, a disappointing 1-0 loss to Dinamo Zagreb in their opening Champions League fixture.
“When you arrive somewhere (new), you want to show straight away you’re involved,” he said in an interview with The Athletic. “It was the worst game of my life, but I did it because I had to play.
“I remember that day because I didn’t recognise him (Tuchel). It was not the guy I knew a few years ago. We had a close relationship.
“He was the only guy who really understood me in Dortmund. At Chelsea, it was like something was wrong. I felt he was not enjoying his time.
“We lost and he was p**sed off. Usually, he would go crazy but he came to the dressing room and then left. I was like, “This is not the guy I know. Very strange”. The next day, he was sacked.”
