"To tell the truth, he was a bit fat by then!" - Chelsea star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opens up on looking up to Ronaldo at AC Milan
Chelsea striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had the privilege of sharing the dressing room with Ronaldo Nazario during his time at AC Milan. Speaking ahead of the Blues' clash with the Italian giants in the Champions League this week, the Gabonese revealed that he learned from the legendary Brazilian striker.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang represented AC Milan between 2007 and 2011, starting in the club's youth setup and later earning a promotion to the senior team. However, the striker didn't get the chance to break out due to the immense level of talent in the squad.
#Chelsea have been handed a boost as AC Milan could have just 15 outfield players available for Wednesday's #UCL clash after an injury crisis.
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Reflecting on his time at the San Siro, the Chelsea forward recalled how he tried to improve his own game by watching and learning from Ronaldo. Aubameyang said (via GOAL) ahead of Chelsea hosting the Italians on Wednesday (October 5).
"I know Milan well. At that time, the team was really strong, to tell the truth. Ronaldo, [Paolo] Maldini, [Alessandro] Nesta… I was very young. That is why I chose to go on loan for a few years. I was just trying to improve and looking at [Ronaldo] to learn as much as I could."
The Gabonese went on to explain that Ronaldo wasn't in his top physical state in Milan but was a force to be reckoned with in front of goal. He also highlighted the mental strength of the Brazilian and added:
"To tell the truth, he was a bit fat by then! But he was still the best. I will always remember when Carlo Ancelotti had a go at him about his fitness. He said, 'What do you want me to do, run or score goals?' Ancelotti said, 'Score goals,' and the next game Ronaldo scored twice!"
"It that is part of the character and as a striker, you need that because you have to be strong mentally. I was just a young kid among all those stars, just playing and training. I was just trying to get as much as I can and pick up all these things in my career."
@sport - Childhood idol
🗣 "Ronaldo Nazario"
- Barcelona idol
🗣 "Ronaldinho"
- Best memory
🗣 "A Gabon-Morocco from the 2012 Africa Cup. It was incredible. We were losing, I scored 1-1. We tied two in the last minute and scored 3-2 in the last second."
#FCB
How did Chelsea and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang fare at the weekend?
The Blues returned to action on Saturday (October 1) with a Premier League clash with Crystal Palace away from home. They managed to secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Eagles; their first victory since beating West Ham by the same scoreline on September 3.
The game was also special for Aubameyang as he bagged his first goal for the Blues with his 38th-minute strike.