Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that the club’s new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang might make his debut for the Blues in the Champions League opener against Dinamo Zagreb today, September 6, 2022.
Tuchel said the striker would feature in the game if he completes the final training session without any problems.
Aubameyang will need to play in a mask after suffering a jaw injury during a violent robbery at his home last week.
He only played eight minutes for Barca this season.
Tuchel says the Gabonese striker, 33, has to be “managed” and “needs minutes to get his full fitness and rhythm”.
“If an issue comes up with the mask today we will not put him in of course, but there was no issue for him yesterday and I hope there will not be an issue today,” said Tuchel.
“If he is ready to start he cannot play 90 minutes so it is on us to take a decision how we manage the minutes.
“That he needs minutes to get his full fitness is clear so it’s on us to find the solution if he is on the bench or if he starts.”
Former Arsenal striker Aubameyang has previously celebrated some goals by putting on a film character’s mask.
The 33-year-old missed Chelsea’s controversial 2-1 win over West Ham on Saturday but has travelled with the squad to Croatia.
“Auba is very ambitious, he’s very focused and he’s hungry to play for us, and he is hungry to prove a point. That’s why he’s here,” Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel told reporters on Monday.
