Former Arsenal star Aubameyang dropped from Marseille squad after ‘spraying club chief with fire extinguisher’
PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG has been dropped by Marseille after reportedly spraying a club chief with a fire extinguisher.
The French giants’ campaign has faltered since now-Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi left the club in February.
Marseille have only won one of their last six matches, of which they lost four.
And that has seen them plunged to seventh place in the Ligue 1 table and at serious risk of missing out on European qualification.
With the team’s attitude and commitment called into question, club bosses reportedly ordered players to sleep at the training ground this week.
According to L’Equipe, however, trouble ensued on Thursday when Aubameyang, 36, led a group of ten players in throwing an impromptu party at the base.
The ex-Arsenal star is said to have sprayed a fire extinguisher over club rep Bob Tahri, his bed and his belongings on the fourth day of the player’s stay at La Commanderie.
Tahri, a former French long-distance runner, had reportedly been at the training ground on behalf of sporting director Medhi Benatia and was tasked with enforcing the curfew.
He is said to have been left furious by the incident and reported it to his superiors.
According to Foot Mercato, the players’ rooms were also left in “disarray”, with sources claiming the atmosphere was “almost reminiscent of a summer camp” when they should have used that time for reflection.
Aubameyang has reportedly apologised to Tahri and claimed he just wanted to “liven things up”.
But the ex-Chelsea star was still dropped from Marseille’s squad ahead of Sunday’s match at Le Havre.
Marseille players have been under fire for over a month and controversial Manchester United reject Mason Greenwood has been a focal point of that criticism.
Greenwood, 24, and his team-mates were all given a damning 0/10 rating after last week’s 3-0 thrashing at relegation strugglers Nantes.
And La Provence branded the forward as “scandalous” and compared him to a circus actor.
This comes after Beye reportedly halted training earlier this week after the ex-England international was claimed to have ignored his instructions.
And L’Equipe reported Greenwood angered club officials after skipping French lessons and mandatory medical treatments.
