Football: Aubameyang takes captaincy at Arsenal

The Gabonese international Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang takes the leadership of the locker room of Arsenal. The Premier League club has confirmed the information after dismissing former captain Granit Xhaka in the middle of an incident with club supporters on 27 October after the match against Crystal Palace.

Criticized for his mediocre performances and his insufficient leadership to wear the armband, the Swiss international responded with gestures encouraging the fans to make even more noise, then he removed his jersey before joining the locker room, saying minus two times « will you f … .. », according to the TV images.

Emery had already thrown him out of the group for the final league match against Wolverhampton on Saturday and the trip to the Portuguese side of Vitoria Guimaraes in the Europa League on Wednesday.

« I had to make a decision and now the case is closed »
« I decided he was no longer one of the captains in our group and I told him this morning, » Emery said Tuesday. « He accepted my decision. »

« We now have four captains who are Aubameyang, Hector (Bellerin), (Alexandre) Lacazette and (Mesut) Ozil – and the first of them is now Aubameyang. »

« I had to make a decision and now the case is closed, » added Emery.

Last week, Xhaka issued a statement about the incidents, justifying his reaction with his « feeling of not being understood by the fans and (by) insulting comments during the matches and on the social networks in the last weeks and weeks. last months ».

« People have told me things like + we’re going to break your legs +, + we’ll kill your wife + or + we hope your girl will get cancer + », explained the Swiss international who admitted that being « let out » and having « a reaction that was disrespectful to those supporters who encourage our club, team and myself with positive energy ».

Xhaka had inherited the armband in September after the Spaniard had asked the dressing room to vote to appoint the new captain after the departure of the trustees Laurent Koscielny and Petr Cech.