Unai Emery has hailed Arsenal striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, as a killer ahead of their Europa League semi-final second leg on Thursday.
The Gunners will face Emery’s Villarreal at the Emirates after the Spanish side beat them 2-1 in the first leg in Spain.
The away goal gives the Gunners a good chance against their visitors for the Emirates showpiece.
One player who didn’t start the first leg for the Gunners is Aubameyang.
The Gabon striker had just recovered from a malaria infection days before the game and could only make the bench.
He was brought into the match late on, but he didn’t have enough time to make an impact.
He started Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Newcastle United at the weekend and was among the goals and should start the return leg of the Europa League semi-final tomorrow.
Emery managed Aubameyang for almost two years at Arsenal and knows how deadly the striker is.
The Spanish coach said via Standard Sport: “Aubameyang is a killer.
“He was, he is and he will always be. He has been through a process of being out of the team because of the illness he has had, but he is back.
“He is there to work, to defend the team and give everything for the team, hoping he can perform at the top level and if that happens he is going to be very difficult to stop.
“We expect to find the best Aubameyang possible, the same with Granit Xhaka. I think he is a great person, a really great footballer.
“He was the top scorer in the Premier League when I was there, he is really good physically and is a killer, like I said.”
Lost his killer instint season long.
It’s sad to think that the greatest compliment Auba has received from a manager in the last 18 months comes from the opposition camp…even Emery, with his oft-times ineffective offensive tactics, understood the importance of getting Auba the ball at his feet in and around the box
Emery COULD be telling the truth, as he sees it. OR, (perish the thought from this cynical fan!) he just COULD be trying to get the lazy Auba into our team, as he thinks that would weaken us, in reality. I know which I think it is but I remain a constant realist.