Xavi, Barcelona’s head coach, describes Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as a “gift from heaven” after the striker arrived from Arsenal and immediately hit the ground running.
The Gabonese international scored in Barca’s 4-0 win over Osasuna on Sunday, giving him six goals in nine games in all competitions for the Catalan giants.
Since Aubameyang’s debut on February 6 in a 4-2 win over Atletico Madrid, he has scored two more goals than the next-best Ferran Torres among Barcelona players.
In all competitions, he is averaging 0.96 goals per 90 minutes for the LaLiga club, compared to 0.57 in his 15 games with Arsenal before to the formal switch last month.
And with Barca enjoying their best run of league form since April 2021, Xavi has been impressed by Aubameyang’s contribution in front of goal so far.
“Aubameyang is a gift from heaven,” Xavi said following his side’s fourth successive LaLiga victory.
“He is a positive player who always enters the room in good condition and adapts very quickly to new environments.
“Aubameyang scores goals, creates opportunities, keeps moving. It’s a privilege to lead him, he’s an example for other players to follow.”
Aubameyang’s strike against Osasuna came after Ferran Torres had scored twice, one of those goals coming from the penalty spot, before Riqui Puig rounded off the scoring.
That was Puig’s second goal for Barcelona, and a first on home soil, on what was just his third outing this calendar year.
“It’s a big day for me,” he told Barca TV. “It’s one of the most important days of my life for scoring my first goal at the Camp Nou and I will celebrate it with my family and friends.
“The team has an idea that we didn’t have before. We have some games that we have to win and we’re really looking forward to them.”
