Former Italy striker Antonio Cassano has blasted Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for comments he made about his former manager, Mikel Arteta.
A video of the ex-Gunners captain emerged last week in which Aubameyang questioned Arteta’s ability to manage big-name players.
In footage that was filmed shortly after the Gabon international’s departure from the north London club, Aubameyang said: ‘I remember they [Barcelona] first called my father.
‘We knew the coach, Xavi, then he called me and said there is an opportunity because you have those problems with Arsenal, but if you come you will help us a lot, so I said, ‘okay’.
‘But to manage big characters or big players, he [Arteta] can’t deal with it. He [Arteta] needs some young players, they don’t say anything, they listen.’
Aubameyang was deemed surplus to requirements by Xavi in the summer despite impressing during his short stay at the club.
The 33-year-old joined Chelsea on deadline day back in September and has made a superb start to his Blues career, scoring in three consecutive games and making light of the sudden exit of Thomas Tuchel.
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Shortly after the footage came to light, Aubameyang issued an apology which read: ‘Aware there is a video out that was recorded just after I arrived at Barca.
‘At the time I still had a lot of bad feelings in me – Arsenal are doing great things this season and I wish all my old guys well, just not on November 6.’
Arsenal are now top of the Premier League having won eight of their nine games so far this campaign with Arteta building a team that looks well capable of challenging for a top four place.
The performances of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko have made a mockery of Aubameyang’s claims and Cassano has accused the former Dortmund star of ‘madness’.
He told Bobo TV: ‘Now Aubameyang is speaking as well. He dares to say that Arteta doesn’t know how to handle champions. Does Aubameyang consider himself a champion? But he doesn’t know how to trap the ball.
‘When Arteta took Arsenal, in a general disaster, there were many players among that and he was there too.
‘Try to play football instead of talking about Arteta, who is first in the most important league in the world. For me, it’s madness.’
