Old pals set to go full throttle at the Bridge
TUCHEL: AUBA IS ‘NICE CRAZY’
THOMAS TUCHEL has no idea how Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang used to keep his driving licence after revealing his sports cars were so loud you could hear him “a kilometre away”.
Tuchel recounted memories of the striker from their two years together at Borussia Dortmund – and is still on texting terms with the Arsenal captain.
The Chelsea boss joked how he used to organise team meetings and tell Aubameyang they started 15 minutes earlier, because it was the only way he would get there on time, and how he knew he was coming because he could hear his Lamborghini revving up from so far away.
But Tuchel also painted a different picture to the one often portrayed of the man who joined Arsenal in 2018.
The German said: “It was a pleasure to work with him, always a smile on his face and a very honest guy.A bit of a crazy guy, but nice crazy.
“I don’t know how he managed to keep the driving licence in his pocket because – from the sound of the car – I don’t know if he was always on the speed limit. That’s him. It’s hard to be really mad with the guy because he comes with a big smile, has a big heart and gives an excuse to everybody.
“He was pretty much the only one [to report late] so when we wanted him to be on time, we told him the meeting was 10.45am when the meeting was 11am. It was a pure pleasure to have him. Auba was a fantastic finisher and a fantastic worker off the pitch. I think he did not miss one single training in two years.
“He delivered an unbelievable amount of goals, his speed was unique in the Bundesliga and he was crucial.”
Aubameyang, 31, has had a tough season. He was axed against Tottenham – for arriving late – he contracted malaria and was also given compassionate leave to visit his sick mother in France.
The Dortmund old boys meet at Stamford Bridge today but the chances of a reunion at Chelsea seem remote.
Asked if he would fancy working with Aubameyang again, Tuchel said: “He does not get younger, that’s the problem. I never had a feeling he lacks a certain mentality when you want to win. But clearly he cannot do it alone and he also needs a top squad to play in to compete for the highest level.
“You could push him to the limit. He was never lazy or satisfied with one or two goals, always going for a third.”
(probable): Mendy; Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Zouma; James, Kante, Gilmour, Chilwell; Mount, Pulisic, Werner.