Will Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s international affair affect Marseille’s Ligue 1 title bid?

Following Gabon’s disastrous display at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament, will Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s international crisis be translated domestically with Marseille?

Marseille: The domestic return Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang didn’t want

Considering that Aubameyang’s employers, Marseille, lost their first match since his first match back from Morocco, 2-0 to Nantes on Sunday, it’s certainly not the best of starts.

A hat-trick of defeats at the 2025 AFCON tournament led to Aubameyang being banished from the national team and the current coaching staff, including manager Thierry Mouyouma, being put on suspension.

The country’s all-time leading marksman wasn’t the only player to be omitted from any foreseeable footballing activities, as defender Bruno Ecuele Manga was told his services were currently not needed.

What made the announcement more astounding was Gabon’s acting Sports Minister, Simplice-Desire Mamboula, openly criticising the team’s performance during a broadcast on television.

“Given the Panthers’ disgraceful performance at the Africa Cup of Nations, the government has decided to dissolve the coaching staff, suspend the national team until further notice, and exclude players Bruno Ecuele Manga and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Furthermore, the Government calls on the Gabonese Football Federation to assume all its responsibilities”.

Despite participating in Gabon’s matches against Mozambique and Cameroon, an injury ruled him out of the last group-stage game against the Ivory Coast, but he did score against the former nation. Arguably, he was Les Panthères’ best player during their short-term stay at the 2025 tournament.

Form is temporary but Aubameyang’s class is permanent

Looking at Aubameyang’s domestic form, the veteran striker has provided 18 attacking returns (eight goals, 10 assists) for Marseille across all competitions in 2025/26.

Our deep dive into him failing to fire in front of the net doesn’t initially appear to be of concern on paper.

However, as already briefly touched on, Aubameyang’s domestic return didn’t go to plan at home to Nantes. Over 350 goals throughout his playing career and additionally a celebratory century of assists, including 59 for Marseille (G38, A21).

A large majority of those attacking contributions came in his first spell at the club throughout the 2023/24 campaign, when he scored 30 goals across all competitions.

However, prior to kick-off, you would have expected Les Phocéens to have comfortably beaten a Nantes side, who are currently occupying the Ligue 1 play-off position. It’s worth noting that Aubameyang hasn’t scored in his previous four appearances for Marseille.

This dates back to November 21st, when he wasn’t feeling very nice after scoring and providing two assists in the 5-1 thrashing at Nice. However, there is no need to fear.

Proven form in front of goal all over the world

The marksman was prolific throughout the second half of the season for former club Al-Qadsiah in the Saudi Pro League last year, bagging six times in his final seven games. Dortmund, Arsenal, and Barcelona are just some of the biggest clubs in football that Aubameyang has found the back of the net for.

So Marseille will now hope the former Gabon striker, for now anyway, can fire on all cylinders before the end of the season. That could very well lead the club to lifting a first Ligue 1 title since the 2009/10 campaign. 

Considering Marseille’s European mission, could this year’s Champions League spring a shock result, and see become the second French team to lift the trophy across the last three years?

Les Phocéens are currently situated in the play-off round positions with two matches left to play in the 2025/26 league phase round. Three points against Liverpool in their next match on January 21st could therefore turn out to be absolutely massive for Roberto De Zerbi’s side.