Aubameyang blames chaotic Marseille for his exit after a turbulent season

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the 37‑year‑old Gabonese striker, returned on Thursday via a video‑conference press call to explain his summer exit from Olympique de Marseille, where he scored 14 goals in 41 appearances during the troubled 2025‑2026 campaign before joining Spain’s Deportivo La Coruna.

Aubameyang's departure explained

Aubameyang said the club decided he had to leave and he would not go against its wishes. “Given the situation, the club decided that I had to go. And I was not going to go against the club’s will,” he told reporters via video link, as reported by L’Équipe. He added he does not like to be a disturbance.

He expressed regret for not helping Marseille qualify for the Champions League, calling the missed objective a failed mission. The striker reflected that each defeat felt like the end of the world during a season he described as “very, very trying.”

Chaos inside Marseille

Aubameyang listed the internal turmoil that plagued the club, from a fight between Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe on the opening Ligue 1 matchday to the almost anonymous exit of sporting director Pablo Longoria. He also mentioned the exfiltration of coach Roberto De Zerbi and the ongoing questions surrounding former defender Medhi Benatia.

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He said the constant changes created a “particular context” that affected the whole squad. According to the veteran, the communication between players, staff and management often broke down, leaving everyone without a clear direction.

Aubameyang stressed that responsibility for the unsuccessful campaign is collective. “I think everyone has a part of the responsibility in this season that was not successful: us players, but also the staff and the board,” he said.

He warned that in Marseille one must create a “bubble” to avoid external influences, a condition he believes was missing last season and cost the club dearly. The Gabonese forward hopes his new environment at Deportivo La Coruna will provide that stability.