Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has defended himself after being suspended by Borussia Dortmund for ‘disciplinary reasons’.
Last season’s Bundesliga top scorer has been dropped from the BVB squad for Friday’s clash with Stuttgart.
The club have offered no further clarification over his suspension, amid reports that the 28-year-old has been reprimanded for continually turning up late for training.
Others suggest that a trip to Barcelona during the international break to visit close friend Ousmane Dembele have angered club officials. However, a number of Dortmund players were given time off during the last two weeks.
According to Kicker, Aubameyang was 30 minutes late to training on Thursday – the club’s final practice before the clash with Stuttgart – and that drew Peter Bosz’s unhappiness and led to Aubameyang being banned.
The striker was similarly punished last year by Thomas Tuchel, after an unsanctioned trip to Milan, missing a Champions League clash with Sporting Lisbon.
However, this time the Gabonese star insists that he hasn’t done anything wrong.
“I didn’t turn up late for training,” he told Bild. “After my trip to Milan I could understand my suspension because I ignored an announcement that time.
“This time I really can’t understand it.”
Aubameyang has scored 10 times in 11 league games so far this season, but hasn’t found the net in over a month.
The player was keen to leave the club for a fresh challenge in the summer, but only found interest forthcoming from the Chinese Super League.
COMMENTS