Aubameyang: “I promised my grandfather I’d play for Madrid”
Dortmund’s Gabonese star spoke to L’Equipe: “I told him before he died. It’s difficult but it’s something I keep in mind.”
Some promises just stick with you and Borussia Dortmund’s prolific goalscorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made a very special one to his grandfather.
“Before he died two years ago I promised him that one day I would play for Real Madrid,” he said to L’Equipe. “My grandfather was from Avila, not far from Madrid. It’s what I said to him. I know it’s not easy but it’s something I keep in mind.
“I celebrate my goals with a cartwheel in honour of Hugo Sánchez. I’ve seen many videos of him on the internet and I’ve been following him since I was a boy.”
What’s clear is that he doesn’t hide his desire to play in Spain. “To play for Madrid or for another great club in La Liga would be a nice gift to my mother, Margarita, who is Spanish.”
Aubameyang has taken the Bundesliga by storm, combining incredible pace with his goalscoring instincts. So far this season he’s scored 30 goals in just 32 games.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in front of goal practicing my finishing with both feet and with my head, playing as a number 9,” he said.
Prising him away from Dortmund won’t be easy for any interested party, however. The club’s Sporting Director Michael Zorc has denied on a number of occasions that the club is interested in selling the striker. He remains under contract until 2020.