Radamel Falcao and Romelu Lukaku, Didier Drogba and Alexis Sanchez, all have made football history.

But Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang puts them one by one in his rearview mirror thanks to his exceptional season with OM.

Thursday March 7, the Franco-Gabonese was once again an essential cog in Marseille during the slap inflicted on Villareal in the round of 16 first leg of the Europa League.

He scored twice – a first goal from the penalty spot, converted with the serenity of great attackers, then a classy lob from the left side of the penalty area.

The player has confirmed his status as the competition's top scorer since its overhaul in 2009 with now 33 goals.

Radamel Falcao (30) and Romelu Lukaku (26) are already far away.

These 10th and 11th goals of his European season also allowed him to equal an old Olympian record: that of Ivorian legend Didier Drogba, the only other player in the history of OM to have scored 11 goals in the European Cup. over the same season (2003/2004).

But the Panther will have the opportunity to overtake its illustrious elder during the return match.

What a season from Mr. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

🇬🇦💙🤍 pic.twitter.com/KVwOVZ9qMB

— Actu Foot (@ActuFoot_) March 8, 2024

Finally, this new double also allows him to ward off the ghost of Alexis Sanchez, the Chilean striker that OM did everything to keep last summer before deciding to recruit Aubameyang.

Idol of the Vélodrome, he nevertheless left without a backward glance towards Inter.

Which did not prevent comparisons between the two men.

And now, the results lean towards the newcomer: 18 goals in 45 matches for the star of La Roja against 21 in 36 matches for the Panther.

“The most gentleman of our season”

His new coach for 4 matches, Jean-Louis Gasset, is full of praise for his striker's contribution: "He's a great player, a very good person, and a scorer. Like all great strikers, he likes competitive situations. game. He likes to place himself in certain places and that's where we put him. Afterwards, the skill, the sense of purpose, the generosity... he has all that. It seems to me that he had to stall where he likes to be and where he likes to leave from to be on arrival at the centers", explains Jean-Louis Gasset.

Also read Close to the players, often No. 2... Who is Jean-Louis Gasset, the new OM coach?

Moroccan midfielder Amine Harit doesn't say anything else: "Aubameyang? He's the gentleman of our season. He's very, very skillful in front of goal, but we already knew that. He just had to be served in the right places. conditions, and what he has done to us in recent matches, the fact that he has regained his usual efficiency, that allows us to breathe. It is clear that we are going to need a great Aubame to seek European qualification at the end of the season."

The permanent rebound

With OM, the Panthere is making its big return to France.

A country where the native of Laval grew up and revealed himself before enriching his CV in all the major European championships.

It was in fact in Saint-Étienne, after Dijon, Lille and Monaco, that “Aubame” made himself known to the world as an outstanding scorer (31 goals in 62 matches).

In 2013, he won the Marc-Vivien Foé prize, awarded by RFI and France 24 to the best African player in Ligue 1.

The son of Gabonese international Pierre-François Aubameyang then signed in Germany, at Borussia Dortmund.

In five years in the Ruhr, Aubameyang has established himself as one of the most effective international strikers with 141 goals in 213 matches, and a title of top scorer in the Bundesliga in 2017.

Next stop: England.

With the Arsenal jersey, Aubameyang still enjoys success by becoming one of the executives, then captain, of the Gunners with whom he will win the FA Cup (2020), the Community Shield (2020) and a title of top scorer of Premier League (2018-2019 season).

He thus became the first player to finish top scorer in the Bundesliga and the Premier League.

Dismissed by Mikel Artea for disciplinary reasons and a lack of performance, he bounced back to FC Barcelona where he had a thunderous start to the season: 11 goals scored in 17 matches.

But after a violent robbery at home in front of his children, he decided to sign for Chelsea to get away from Catalonia.

An experience that ends short.

He is not part of Graham Potter's plans, who even insults him by not including him in the Champions League.

Unwanted, he resisted the Saudi siren song to sign for OM, a club that made him completely happy:

"Since the start of the season, it hasn't been easy. But like the group, we stuck together to continue moving forward. A big thank you to the public and the little ones who came to the stands. We continue to move forward together,” explained Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

How far ?

The France 24 summary of the week

invites you to look back at the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you!

Download the France 24 application