"I was expecting help from him, not killing me" - Ex-Arsenal captain Aubameyang on how Arteta 'p**sed' him off after incident related to mum

Former Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has opened up on how he was treated by Mikel Arteta during his time at the club. Aubameyang joined the Gunners from Borussia Dortmund for a reported €63.75 million in January 2018.

The forward was an exceptional striker, best known for his electrifying pace and finishing proficiency. However, his relationship with Arteta dipped midway through the 2021-22 season and he ended up leaving the club after his contract with the Gunners was terminated.

In a recent interview with The Athletic, Aubameyang felt he was poorly treated by Arteta during a period when his mother was ill. He said (via Caught Offside):

"My mistake. I should have come back the night before but I arrived in the morning. I didn’t tell them that I would miss the flight because I was preoccupied with my mum’s stuff [medical examinations], I went directly to a team meeting. Everything was normal. After that, he [Arteta] said, ‘Come with me.' This is where he started shouting. He said I could not do this because I was the captain and it was not acceptable."

He added:

"He said I gave him a knife in his back; I don’t know why he said that. I was really p**sed off because it was not true and he knew why I flew. He knew the reason and what was happening, he knew I was struggling that year. I was expecting help from him, not killing me like this."

Aubameyang reportedly traveled to France to pick up his mother for medical attention in London where he resided at the time. Meanwhile, Arteta was allegedly not pleased with the timing of Aubameyang's arrival after the incident.

The Gabonese stated he was not sorry for his behavior and expected Arteta to support him, given the situation. However, he left the Emirates as a free agent to join Barcelona in January 2022.

Aubameyang scored 92 goals and registered 20 assists in 163 games during his stint in north London. He's presently with Al-Qadsiah in the Saudi Pro League. In 13 appearances this season, he has scored seven goals.

How has Mikel Arteta's Arsenal performed in the Premier League this season?

Brighton & Hove Albion FC v Arsenal FC - Premier League - Source: Getty

Despite battling with numerous injury setbacks, Arsenal have been decent in the Premier League this season.

Arteta's men are second in the table, having accumulated 40 points from 20 Premier League games. They are six points behind league leaders Liverpool who have a game in hand. The Gunners have also scored 39 goals in attack while the defense has conceded 18 goals, leading to a goal difference of 21.

Arsenal will return to Premier League action against Tottenham Hotspur next Wednesday, (January 15).