Chelsea Champions League axe shocks Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

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By Martin Graham | 5th Feb 2023

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been left shocked by the decision of Chelsea not to register him for the Champions League. The former Barcelona striker believes the Blues are trying to force him out of the club.

Chelsea are in a massive rebuild, and some players will feel the effect of the reconstruction of the squad. Several players arrived at Stamford Bridge this season, leaving the manager Graham Potter with a severe headache. The former Brighton manager cannot register all the players they signed, leaving some players disgruntled.

The Blues signed 16 players this season, including the €121 million Premier League record signing of Enzo Fernández. The Argentine is the headline of the players signed, leading to Jorginho leaving Stamford Bridge for league leaders Arsenal.

The players Chelsea signed include Wesley Fofana, Mykhaylo Mudryk, Marc Cucurella, Raheem Sterling and Benoît Badiashile. Others are Kalidou Koulibaly, Noni Madueke, Malo Gusto, Carney Chukwuemeka, Andrey Santos, David Datro Fofana, João Félix, Denis Zakaria and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Gabonese forward is one of the casualties of Todd Boehly’s crazy spending, as the Blues did not register the former Arsenal forward for the Champions League.

Aubameyang believes the club wants to force him out of the club.

Aubameyang in disbelief as he dropped from Chelsea’s Champions League squad

The decision to remove Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from their Champions League squad has shocked the player, and he fears the club wants him to leave. The Blues confirmed on Friday afternoon that record signing Enzo Fernandez, Mykhailo Mudryk, and loanee Joao Felix was in their 25-man squad list for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League.

To register the trio, Chelsea had to drop one player, with Aubameyang surprisingly chosen ahead of Carney Chukwuemeka and third-choice goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli. The 33-year-old is stunned and disappointed by the decision. The Telegraph reports that Aubameyang and his camp believe Chelsea no longer requires his services.

Aubameyang was something of a panic buy late in the summer transfer window by former boss Thomas Tuchel, who enjoyed an excellent relationship with the ex-Borussia Dortmund forward.

Aubameyang was a late-summer transfer window panic buy by former manager Thomas Tuchel, who had a great relationship with the ex-Borussia Dortmund forward.

But, under Graham Potter, Aubameyang has struggled for game time in recent weeks and was notably left on the bench at Craven Cottage when Chelsea needed a goal against Fulham. He has only scored once in the Premier League this season.

Why was Aubameyang dropped?

According to The Telegraph, the decline of Aubameyang is not the result of any behavioural issues, and he has been training diligently despite his struggles in front of the goal.

However, there is a growing belief that the Gabonese striker will need to leave the club if he is to play any football in the next six months, even though he has already played for Barcelona this season. The former Arsenal striker is fit, but young January signing David Datro Fofana was picked ahead of him on the bench, as was January addition Noni Madueke.

Aubameyang opted against attending the match after being left out of the squad and was pictured with his brother, Willy, and other family members in Milan. The former Arsenal striker is fit, but young January signing David Datro Fofana and January addition Noni Madueke were both named to the bench ahead of him.

Chelsea takes on Borussia Dortmund in the last 16 – a reunion Aubameyang will now miss.