Sports
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang trains with his Arsenal team-mates for first time ahead of Everton match despite his illness
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang linked up with his new Arsenal team-mates on the training ground for the first time on Friday, ahead of the Gunners’ weekend clash with Everton.
The Gabon international, who Arsenal signed for £56million on deadline day, trained by himself at London Colney on Thursday, in a bid to get match fit for Saturday’s fixture.
Aubameyang could make his debut for the north London club against the Toffees, and link up with his former Dortmund team-mate Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Ahead of the match, here are five questions that need to be answered.
1. Will Aubameyang be playing on Saturday?
We’ll start with the elephant in the room; will Arsenal’s new £56million signing make his debut at the Emirates, and perhaps more importantly, will he hit the ground running?
The fact the Gabon striker hit the training ground all by himself on Thursday, before doing it all again with his team-mates on Friday, suggests he will definitely be playing for the Gunners on Saturday.
But Wenger threw this into doubt in his press conference, when he announced that the player has been suffering with illness.
“Certainly Mkhitaryan will start,” said Wenger on Friday. “That’s a possibility, yes. Aubameyang, I have to assess how he is physically today and how well he feels.
“He had sickness, a fever. He couldn’t train a lot, he started yesterday. He was still not completely well so I have to assess and see with the medical department how well and how fit he can be.”
Whether he will start – or come off the bench – on Saturday remains a mystery, but it seems that regardless of what fate has in store for the 28-year-old, he is desperate to play.
2. Will Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang rekindle a partnership?
Another big question that Arsenal will be hoping is the case; will Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang get on like they did all those years ago at Dortmund?
Things have changed since then, of course, but there is no denying that the duo struck up a partnership in Germany, that worked to the Bundesliga giants’ favour on more than one occasion.
When asked the killer question on Friday, Wenger said: “I hope so, yes. They know each other well. We are an offensive team, hopefully they can recreate that understanding.”
Back in the 2015-2016 season Aubameyang found the back of the net 39 times while Mkhitaryan, who usually played a little deeper, scored 23.
If the duo can get anywhere near these figures at Arsenal then Gunners fans are in for a few treats from here until the end of the season.
One potential issue is that both players – who you’d think will be regulars in the first team – are attack-minded, which could leave Arsenal short at the back.
Speaking about this on Sky Sports, Gary Neville said: “Those four are so attacking I can’t think of a defensive mind among them. I watched Mkhitaryan at United, he doesn’t defend.
“Ozil, when he wants to he can, but he doesn’t really want to put it in defensively. They’re going to leave huge spaces.
“The situation poses Wenger a problem he will have to try and resolve on the training pitch. That is the problem – how do you fit all four in the same team?
“I’m not quite sure that will happen. It doesn’t look like a natural fit, so Arsene Wenger has got some big challenges on the training field to make those four into a unit that works.”
3. What does the future hold for Lacazette?
The France international promised the world when Arsenal spent £52million on him in the summer, making him the most expensive purchase in their history.
But just a few months later and Wenger – who of course was forced to react to losing Alexis Sanchez – delved into the transfer market once again and spent even more on Aubameyang.
The two players are similar in that they’re out-and-out forwards with plenty of pace and – when in form – have the ability to score goals for fun.
So you’d think Wenger will be looking to play one over the other, which doesn’t look good for the 26-year-old former Lyon forward.
What’s more Wenger refused to give the Frenchman any clarity over his future at the club in his Friday press conference, telling the media: “I don’t reassure people. We are in a competitive world.
“We have also chosen a job where there is competition, you have to fight for your place.”
4. What can we expect from Ozil?
For so long Mesut Ozil’s future has been up in the air; will he sign a new contract at Arsenal, will he return to Spain, will he join Manchester United?
The German put all the speculation, rumour, and nonsense to bed this week when he penned a new £350,000-a-week contract at the Emirates – much to the delight of Gunners supporters.
The deal will see him remain an Arsenal player until 2021, and means that the Gunners will enjoy the playmaker in his prime years.
So what now? Well, the German has previously been accused of ‘being lazy’ or ‘going missing’ in big games, which was used as apparent evidence that his mind was elsewhere and that he was going to leave.
This notion can no longer be thrown about, meaning fans will expect better and more consistent performances from the German.
Not only this but because he’s now being paid £350,000-a-week – making him the highest paid player at the club by some margin – the board will expect the same.
Wenger confirmed the pressure to perform is now definitely on Ozil’s shoulder on Friday, saying: “Many predicted he wouldn’t commit and not sign.
“It is good news for us – if you can keep a player of that calibre is of course good news.
“He has committed his future to the club at a period where we are in a tricky period. [Now] we expect him to take responsibility to lead the club to success.”
5. Will Cech bounce back against Everton?
The goalkeeper, who hasn’t been in the best of form for a while now, had a game to forget in Arsenal’s embarrassing 3-1 defeat to Swansea City last time out.
Against the Swans, Nacho Monreal threw the ball back to Shkodran Mustafi, who laid it back to a hurried Cech in the Arsenal goal.
The shot-stopper could only scuff his clearance though, and a grateful Jordan Ayew prodded the loose ball into the net.
To make matters worse, Arsenal have since been linked with a move for Atletico Madrid keeper Jan Oblak.
The Slovenian is widely regarded to be one of the best shot-stoppers in the world, and would command a hefty transfer fee.
But the Gunners have proved this January that they’re now willing to spend cash on transfer fees and pay large wages.
Cech needs to bounce back against Everton for the sake of his future at the club, or he might just find himself on the scrapheap come June.
Real Madrid produced a spectacular comeback against Bayern Munich to reach the Champions League final with Joselu striking twice late on, earning them a 2-1 win on Wednesday to progress 4-3 on aggregate.
Alphonso Davies smashed the visiting German giants ahead in the second half but record 14-time winners Madrid produced a sensational comeback with Joselu netting in the 88th and 91st minutes.
Bayern Munich’s Canadian midfielder #19 Alphonso Davies scores his team’s first goal in spite of Real Madrid’s Ukrainian goalkeeper #13 Andriy Lunin during the UEFA Champions League semi final second leg football match between Real Madrid CF and FC Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on May 8, 2024. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP)
Spanish champions Real Madrid face another German side, Borussia Dortmund, in the Wembley final on June 1, after they stunned the team they call their “black beast”.
Squad player Joselu, on as a late substitute, wrote his name in Madrid’s history books with his last-gasp brace.
Bayern Munich’s English forward #09 Harry Kane reacts to their defeat after the UEFA Champions League semi final second leg football match between Real Madrid CF and FC Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on May 8, 2024. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)
“There have been a lot of times we have looked dead and buried, but we have that mentality of never say die,” said Real midfielder Jude Bellingham.
“Joselu deserves it all, he has been an amazing squad member this season.”
Madrid had enjoyed the better of the match but it seemed Davies’ superb strike had set up a repeat of the 2013 all-German final in London.
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel made three changes from the first leg, benching veteran Thomas Mueller and Leon Goretzka.
Dani Carvajal started for Madrid after missing the first leg suspended and was heavily involved as the hosts dominated the opening stages.
Real Madrid players celebrate their second goal scored by Real Madrid’s Spanish forward #14 Joselu during the UEFA Champions League semi final second leg football match between Real Madrid CF and FC Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on May 8, 2024. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)
Rodrygo Goes was inches away from converting Carvajal’s low cross and the Spain defender then cleverly set up Vinicius Junior with a pass nutmegging a defender, and Manuel Neuer tipped the Brazilian’s shot against the post.
The rebound fell to Rodrygo but his effort was weak and with a desperate arm Neuer was able to claw it out to complete a fine double save.
Bayern’s Serge Gnabry limped off injured with Davies replacing him before Harry Kane’s first flash of danger.
Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin was alert to push the England captain’s vicious long-range volley around the post.
Neuer palmed away a Vinicius free-kick as the teams ended a high-intensity, relentlessly frantic first half level.
The second period was just as fraught, with Davies’ cross deflecting onto the roof of Lunin’s goal.
Vinicius was unplayable down Madrid’s left and Rodrygo prodded his low cross agonisingly wide of the far post.
The 38-year-old Neuer made superb saves to deny both Brazilian forwards again before the hour mark as Madrid controlled the game and ratcheted up the pressure.
However just as in Munich, when Los Blancos were at their strongest, Bayern pounced.
Kane fed Davies and the Canada international cut inside from the left and smashed a shot beyond Lunin into the far top corner after 68 minutes.
Madrid thought they had levelled moments later through Nacho but after a VAR review the strike was ruled out as the defender had grabbed Joshua Kimmich’s face before shooting.
Tuchel took off Kane in the final stages to try and hold on to victory but it slipped through his fingers as Madrid produced more indelible European memories.
Neuer, who had been sublime to this point, fumbled what appeared a simple Vinicius strike and Joselu gratefully bundled home from close range.
With Bayern reeling Madrid struck again, decisively. It was Joselu once more, the striker on loan from second division side Espanyol, turning home after Antonio Rudiger cut the ball back to him.
The goal was ruled offside but officials overturned the decision after review, and after nearly 15 minutes of stoppage time, Madrid earned the chance to go for their 15th Champions League trophy.
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