Ahead of Chelsea’s trip to Zagreb in the Champions League, there is a chance that new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could start in the Champions League clash later this week. According to Matt Law, the forward is travelling to Croatia for the match against Dinamo Zagreb and has trained well in his protective facemask.
New Chelsea Signing Could Start in the Champions League
Aubmeyang travelling to Zagreb and told he trained well in his mask and felt comfortable #cfc https://t.co/yUDiZnImTw
— Matt Law (@Matt_Law_DT) September 5, 2022
What Is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s Injury?
According to David Ornstein at The Athletic, Aubameyang’s injury is a broken jaw as a result of a home robbery. Whilst Ornstein believed that the player would be out for several weeks, the forward spending time in training is positive for a shorter return schedule. The injury did not affect the player’s move away from Barcelona, as Thomas Tuchel’s side could benefit from having more experience up front this season.
What Protection Does the New Chelsea Signing Have?
Matt Law at the Daily Telegraph stated that the forward was using a facemask in training. These provide more support around the jaw, preventing impacts from doing even more harm as the player goes through their recovery. Whilst a heavy collision with a Zagreb defender could hurt, it likely won’t worsen the injury to a significant extent.
Could the New Chelsea Signing Start?
There is no reason to think that the Gabonese forward shouldn’t start for Chelsea in the match against Dinamo Zagreb. If Thomas Tuchel trusts him enough to be on the plane, he trusts him enough to get minutes. As this injury won’t have affected the player’s fitness, Aubameyang should have enough energy and fitness to start in Croatia.
However, the physicality of The Citizens needs to be considered. Zagreb have a physical backline, so bringing Chelsea’s new signing on later could be ideal for avoiding aggressive fifty-fifty battles against defenders with plenty of energy. Aubameyang could be an excellent asset off the bench, but starting him is a risk.
A selfie and the #9 we ready for the new challenge they ain’t ready for the madness @Auba #Aubameyang #Chelsea #london #fofty pic.twitter.com/fOwlsJ20V9
— Willy Aubameyang (@WillyAuba) September 2, 2022
