Thomas Tuchel backs Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to ‘create his own history’ in Chelsea’s ‘cursed’ No. 9 shirt
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Published 02/09/2022 at 17:57 GMT
Thomas Tuchel has put faith in his former Borussia Dortmund striker and new Chelsea signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to “create his own history” as he takes on Chelsea’s “cursed” number nine shirt. "Auba is not afraid of the past and what a number means, he is ready to fight to create his own history,” Tuchel insisted.
Tuchel: "Aubameyang can't train and must wear a mask"
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has backed Chelsea deadline day signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to “create his own history” as he insists the striker will “deliver goals” to break the club’s No.9 curse.
Aubameyang returned to London after sealing a £10 million move from Barcelona with minutes to spare in the window, just six months after arriving at the Camp Nou following his Arsenal exit.
The former Gabon international joins the likes of Fernando Torres, Radamel Falcao, Alvaro Morata and Gonzalo Higuain on the list of Blues forwards to don the number nine in recent years.
Higuian managed five goals whilst Falcao only struck once, and club record-signing Romelu Lukaku could only score eight league goals in the shirt last season on his Stamford Bridge return, a haul already met this campaign by Manchester City summer signing Erling Haaland.
Tuchel acknowledged the “curse” earlier this summer when Lukaku returned to Inter Milan on loan, but has full confidence in Aubameyang to shine after reuniting with the striker.
"Auba is not afraid of the past and what a number means," said Tuchel. "He is ready to fight to create his own history, taking the number nine means he is brave enough.
"Auba from my point of view has always been happy to fight for something and to accept the challenge, so the more challenges he has the better it is.
"If he wants to overcome the No. 9 curse, or if he wants to show somebody in London he's better than certain people think he is, then the more the better.
"Because he's up for that and he's happy. I know him as (being) very focused and in general a person with a very open heart and very happy to be on the pitch every day.
"This is what we wanted, he's a very positive influence on the training group.
"He's up for any challenge, he's happy to be on the pitch to score goals and this is what we want."
Aubameyang is expected to be sidelined for the first few weeks of his Chelsea career after he suffered a broken jaw during a house robbery at his property in Catalonia last week.
The Blues return to action on Saturday when they host West Ham at Stamford Bridge.
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