Chelsea: Is Aubameyang a victim of the 'cursed' No 9?
Signed from Barcelona last summer for 12 million euros, Aubameyang is struggling in west London with the number 9 shirt
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At big clubs, there are often stories behind shirt numbers. While some are legendary, others, like Chelsea's No 9, are said to be cursed. At the London club it is so well known that the No 9 was vacant at the start of the season, after the loan departure of the disappointing Romelu Lukaku, signed for 115 million euros a year earlier.
Asked about it, Thomas Tuchel, then head coach of the Blues, revealed: «People tell me that (the 9) is cursed and nobody wants it. Everyone who has been here longer than me tells me, "Ah, you know, so-and-so had the nine and he didn't score, and somebody else had the nine too and didn't score either"».
For the superstitious, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, signed on the last day of the summer transfer window, should have followed his new team-mates and steered clear of the traditional number of the main strikers, which has a bad reputation at Chelsea.
Aubameyang relegated to the bench
Despite a satisfactory start in October, with a goal in his first Premier League game and 2 goals across the two legs against AC Milan in the Champions League, the curse (of the No 9) seems to have caught up with the Gabon international. Not only has Aubameyang not scored since, he has also lost playing time. The World Cup break did not help matters, with Kai Havertz now repositioned as the centre-forward.
Recent history recalls Falcao, Higuain, Morata and Lukaku, but the "curse" of the No 9 is said to go back to Mateja Kezman in 2004, or even further to the early days of the Premier League in the "90s". Even though Fernando Torres had a far better record in the "cursed" shirt, he failed to win everyone over, notably because of the transfer fee (58 million euros).
With Chelsea (5 points) only 10th in the Premier League, Graham Potter's side, with or without Aubameyang, will need to get back on track in the table this Thursday against Manchester City, who are 2nd (36 points). It is a chance not to be missed for the former Arsenal marksman, who will surely be keen to change the course of history.
Mary SOUMARÉ