AFCON: Pierre Aubameyang will Return to Arsenal for Medicals
Following a positive Covid-19 test, Gabon star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is returning to Arsenal for more medical examinations after being diagnosed with “cardiac lesions” at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
On January 6, forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Gabon teammate Mario Lemina, who plays for French club Nice, both tested positive for Covid-19 upon arriving in Cameroon for the present AFCON competition.
It comes after both players were ruled out of Gabon’s 1-1 draw with Ghana due to “heart lesions” discovered during medical examinations. Axel Meyé, who plays for Moroccan club Ittihad Tanger, was also ruled out.
Gabon’s football organisation said in a statement on Thursday that the two are being placed at their clubs’ disposal “to conduct in-depth exams.”
Patrice Neveu, Gabon’s coach, had stated that the “virus has left some residue on the MRI tests that they underwent.”
“Aubameyang and Lemina don’t have heart problems, but Covid may have left some waste, so it was wise not to play and we followed the protocols.”
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CAF, Africa’s governing body of football, is offering players with a medical assessment after contracting Covid-19, which includes a heart assessment, during the AFCON.
According to Gabon’s football association, Aubameyang, Lemina, and Meyé were all told not to play in last week’s game because CAF “did not want to take risks.”
Gabon plays Morocco in the penultimate game of the AFCON group stages on Tuesday, with the goal of securing a spot in the knockout stages. Aubameyang previously said he felt physically “fine” after contracting Covid and had returned to training with the rest of the Gabon team.
In December, Arsenal said Aubameyang would no longer be the club’s captain following a “disciplinary breach.” The 32-year-old last played for Arsenal in the 2-1 defeat to Everton on December 6.
Source: CNN Sports
Abeeb Lekan Sodiq is a Managing Editor & Writer at theafricandream.net. He is as well a Graphics Designer and also known as Arakunrin Lekan.
