Why Barcelona's Europa League chances against Napoli depend on Aubameyang
Things are beginning to take shape at Barcelona. Xavi endured a turbulent few weeks when he first arrived as manager but the team is gradually finding its feet.
After back-to-back defeats in the Spanish Super Cup and Copa del Rey to Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao, respectively, the Catalans have turned a corner.
Xavi’s side is currently on a five-game unbeaten run in all competitions, including a 4-1 thrashing of Valencia in La Liga at the weekend.
The new signings are also gelling very well, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Adama Traore making the biggest impact so far. But as Barcelona prepare to face Napoli in the second leg of the Europa League knockout playoffs, they'll need more players to step up.
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Barcelona need Aubameyang at his best
Aubameyang endured a poor game in the first leg against Napoli, but he'll need to be at his best if the Blaugrana are going to progress to the next stage.
The former Arsenal striker showed exactly what he can do when he tore Valencia apart with a hat-trick and needs to replicate that level against the Italian side on Thursday.
For a man who has scored goals all his life, Aubameyang's quality is undoubted. However, he sometimes loses himself at crucial times and his early-season struggles at Arsenal back this point.
Despite his pedigree, the 32-year-old has as much to prove as everyone else in the Barcelona team and he can't afford to have a drop in performance against Napoli.
He set the standard against Valencia and must now make it the norm, especially in the big games.
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Aubameyang is Barcelona's most clinical attacker
In truth, Barcelona should have won the first leg against Napoli. The Blaugrana created all the chances but fluffed their lines when it mattered most.
Most of the clear-cut chances fell to Ferran Torres, a player who is hugely talented but not ruthless enough in front of goal. Neither is Traore and the club's other forwards.
Aubameyang remains Barcelona's only out-and-out striker and is the club's most clinical attacker at the moment. That is why a lot will depend on him on Thursday.
It goes without saying that had those chances Torres wasted gone the way of the Gabonese striker, he would've converted at least three of them.
Fortunately for the Camp Nou outfit, Aubameyang will be going into the game against Napoli oozing with confidence after his hat-trick heroics. How he fares against the Italian side will be key in determining the fate of the Blaugrana in the Europa League.