Football
9y

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang out to prove AC Milan wrong in return to Italy

TURIN, Italy -- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang wants to show AC Milan what they let get away when he lines up for Borussia Dortmund against Juventus on Tuesday evening.

The 25-year-old did not get much of an opportunity for the Rossoneri, the club where he started his career in their youth academy back in 2007 and left in 2012 without having made a single Serie A appearance in those five years.

His career instead took off with Saint-Etienne before he moved to Dortmund in 2013, and he has scored 22 Bundesliga goals in 53 appearances. On Tuesday night, when he makes his return to Italy, Milan are going to regret ever letting him leave.

"I was never given a chance to show them what I was made of, but now I have a chance to show AC Milan that," he said at a news conference in Turin. "It's nice to come back here. It's the first time I come to this stadium and I'm really happy to be here."

Speaking in Italian -- "my second mother tongue" -- Aubameyang appeared to have just as many regrets that his time in Italy was so short.

"I learned a lot in Italy," he said. "There's a lot more tactics in Italy compared to Germany. But I'm learning other things in Germany."

"We know that it's not going to be an easy game. We know Juve are the best team in Italy right now, but it won't be easy for them either. We have a side who can hurt these big clubs when we play the way we can.

"When you play the Champions League you are motivated just to be taking part in it. Now we're getting back on track in the league and hopefully we'll have a good game -- it's going to be great to watch."

It is also a welcome diversion for Dortmund from their domestic worries which, despite being alleviated by three straight wins, continue to hang over the Westphalian club.

"It's the last 16, we've won three in a row, it's a great situation, but we know that the day after tomorrow, our relegation battle goes on," said coach Jurgen Klopp. "But tomorrow night, you're not going to see that we're in a relegation battle in the Bundesliga.

"Both sides have a chance of going through. As Pierre-Emerick said, tactics are important in Italy, but we also know a thing or two about tactics and one of those is that we don't reveal today the way we will play tomorrow."

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