Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has sparked fresh controversy in France after being disciplined by Olympique Marseille for an incident at the club’s Commanderie training complex. The Gabonese striker was left out of the squad for the upcoming match against Le Havre following the altercation, as reported by L’Équipe.
According to French media, Aubameyang grabbed a fire extinguisher and sprayed Bob Tahri, a member of Marseille’s sporting directorate, during a particularly tense evening at the team’s training camp. Personal belongings and part of Tahri’s room were also affected. The incident occurred during a pre-match camp ahead of a crucial Ligue 1 fixture, prompting an immediate reaction from the club.
On Friday, the two co-presidents, interim president Alban Juster and incoming president Stéphane Richard, met with the squad at noon to discuss the situation before deciding to sanction Aubameyang, who will not be available for Sunday’s match against Le Havre. The 36-year-old has apologized to both Tahri and the Marseille leadership, claiming he only intended to “liven up the atmosphere,” according to sources close to the club.
Head coach Habib Beye, reportedly frustrated with the dressing room’s behavior in recent weeks, supported the disciplinary action at a critical time for the team. Tensions have been escalating at the Vélodrome as Marseille has slipped away from contention for top spots following an inconsistent end to the season.
Aubameyang returned to Marseille this season after a stint in Saudi Arabia and initially performed well, regaining prominence in attack during the first half of the campaign. However, his form dropped alongside the rest of the squad in the second half. So far this season, he has recorded 13 goals and 10 assists across all competitions—far below his previous numbers during his earlier spell at the club.
The striker has long been known as a strong leader in the dressing room, but his career has also been marked by disciplinary issues. At Arsenal, he was sidelined by Mikel Arteta due to repeated lateness and internal problems before leaving for Barcelona. Now at Marseille, he finds himself in the spotlight again during a delicate period for the French club.
