Aubameyang contracts Covid days before AFCON after partying in Dubai

PICTURED: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and ex-Southampton star Mario Lemina party together in Dubai, as it’s revealed BOTH players now have Covid, days before the Africa Cup of Nations begins

  • Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday
  • Gabon captain contracted the virus on his arrival for the Africa Cup of Nations
  • The test comes days after he was seen partying in Dubai with team-mates
  • Aubameyang will now miss Gabon’s opening AFCON game against Comoros 

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has reportedly tested positive for coronavirus just days before Gabon’s Africa Cup of Nations opener with Comoros, days after he was spotted partying with team-mates in Dubai.

The Arsenal striker, who was stripped of the captain’s armband last month for three different disciplinary breaches by boss Mikel Arteta, reportedly contracted the virus on his arrival to Cameroon, meaning he will now have to self-isolate.

His positive diagnosis throws a huge spanner into Gabon’s hopes for AFCON, who will now be without their skipper and star man for the start of the tournament.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has tested positive for Covid upon his arrival in Cameroon


Aubameyang was filmed partying in Dubai with Gabon team-mate Mario Lemina this week

The news comes days after Aubameyang was filmed out in Dubai partying with Gabon team-mate Mario Lemina. 

Lemina, the former Southampton and Fulham midfielder who now plays for Ligue 1 side Nice, has also tested positive. 

The tournament in Cameroon will get underway on January 9 and could see Aubameyang and Lemina miss the first two group matches against Comoros (January 10) and Ghana (January 14). 


Nice midfielder Lemina is pictured partying with Aubameyang four days before AFCON

On Wednesday the 32-year-old posted a picture of himself travelling on the plane heading to Cameroon, posing with a backwards baseball cap and including emojis of a plane and the Cameroon flag.

It’s another low point for Aubameyang following his demotion as Arsenal captain last month before being exiled by Arteta.

Aubameyang, who has not played for the Gunners since December 6, is set to be sold by the north London club this month but they may struggle to find potential suitors given he is on a staggering £350,000-a-week wages at the Emirates. 

Arteta last month refused to discuss whether Aubameyang has a future at the club.

Arsenal outcast Aubameyang was seen travelling with Gabon for the Africa Cup of Nations 

‘For me it’s not about being right or wrong it’s about making the decisions that you believe are a consequence of what you’re asking them to do. As I said we’ll go game by game,’ he said on Friday.

‘At the moment he’s gone. He needs to focus on the national team. We had the conversation that that was the best way to do it.’ 

Aubameyang will miss at least five Gunners fixtures during his time away with his national team.. 

Along with the City clash there is also the two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool, the FA Cup third-round tie against Nottingham Forest and even the north London derby against Tottenham.

Mikel Arteta has stripped the striker of the captaincy and frozen him out of his squad

A Premier League clash at home to Burnley the following weekend on January 22 may also come too soon for the striker even if Gabon are knocked out of the group stage.

Should Gabon go all the way to the final on February 6, then Aubameyang could also miss the clash at Wolves on February 10.

In Aubameyang’s absence the Gunners have won five consecutive games across all competitions while scoring 19 goals and are flying high in fourth place in the Premier League. 




Share this article


Source: Read Full Article