AFCON Sparks Club-Country Clash: Aubameyang's Surprise Entrance Triggers Marseille Showdown

AFCON clash sparks controversy at Marseille

Thierry Mouyama, Gabon’s head coach, sparked a firestorm among Olympique de Marseille officials during the group-stage opener with Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Marseille’s anger followed the controversial involvement of their star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in his country’s continental debut.

After initially being ruled out with a thigh injury, Aubameyang came on in the 33rd minute and played a full hour as Gabon fell 1-0 to Cameroon.

Timing, medicine, and last-minute decisions

Although left on Gabon’s squad list, Mouyama had suggested the forward would not be used until after the first half-hour, coming on after Cameroon's opening goal in the sixth minute.

Marseille issued a strongly worded statement condemning the decision, saying the club’s medical staff arranged Aubameyang’s treatment in France after consulting Gabon’s medical team, that he would not be available for the December 24 match against Cameroon, and that, depending on his health and test results, he could feature on December 28 vs Mozambique; yet he appeared yesterday.

RMC Sport quoted a Marseille source: "The risk of a relapse was real and frightening, especially since Aubameyang hadn’t had enough time to complete a full recovery and rehabilitation program, and yet he played for more than an hour against Cameroon, a worrying state for the striker."

As the club’s stance echoes through the debate, fans are reminded that the club-vs-country tension often spills onto the pitch. Humor follows: timing matters in every drama, even medical ones; and if Aubameyang’s injury clock had GPS, it would still miss the return to the bench on cue.

Punchline 1: Timing is everything in football—even the doctors can’t sprint to the truth faster than a sideline replay.

Punchline 2: If injuries came with a calendar, Marseille would boycott the entire month of December just to be safe.