Arteta: Arsenal Bigger Than Aubameyang

LONDON: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta insists no player is bigger than the club after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was sacked as captain.

The Gabonese striker was rested ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Southampton when he reportedly returned home late after visiting his ailing mother.

Yesterday Arsenal revealed captain Aubameyang’s armband was withdrawn when the club said “all our players, especially the captain, have to follow the club’s rules and levels that have been set and agreed.”

This is not the first time an incident involving Aubameyang has been placed on the bench during a neighboring match in March against Tottenham after violating pre -match protocol.

Arteta, who is also a former Arsenal captain, admits it is difficult to take action against Aubameyang.

Yet the Spanish operator has made it clear he cannot let individual behavior affect the entire club.

“The decision we took as a club was clear – it was because we believed he failed to deliver at that level that we expected and agreed, it was as simple as that,” Arteta said.