Thirty-seven years old, and a somersault
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave himself no settling-in period at all. On his first outing in Deportivo La Coruna colours, against Elche, the Gabon striker scored. Not a scruffy one either.
A right-foot touch to kill the ball, then a left-footed finish across Dituro before the defence had reorganised. The Riazor, a ground with a reputation for sitting on its hands, came alive. Aubameyang answered with a somersault.
It did not win the game. The newly promoted Galicians settled for a draw. It did win him the stands inside ninety minutes, which is a different currency altogether.
Try it for $0.99.
The Spanish press lost its composure
AS pulled the move apart: “an exquisite first touch from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with his right foot, followed almost instantly by a left-footed shot across goal that beat Dituro. A goal of real class.” The paper approved of the somersault too.
Marca went the same way, calling a first goal “that took your breath away” and praising a touch that already looks at home. At 37, his condition is what has Spain talking.
Aubameyang kept it short with DAZN afterwards. “The people have been very good to me. I thank them a lot.”
He turned down the easy money once already
The backdrop matters here. He arrived off a final season at Olympique de Marseille worth 14 goals in 41 games across all competitions, a modest return by his standards. He had signed on the Canebiere a year earlier and chose not to extend.
This is his return to La Liga four years after a short, loud spell at Barcelona. It also came instead of the Gulf route he had taken once before, when he left Marseille for Al-Qadsiah. The former Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund forward wanted games that count.
Deportivo wanted the other side of that trade: a finisher who has seen everything, to help a promoted side stay up. Elche away is not the season. Their next few weeks will say more.
Discover the rest of the football news on our mathodds website and app!
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
Leave a Reply