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Chelsea’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will soon want to forget his humiliating return to Arsenal – and he’s not the only player who was humiliated when he revisited his old stomping ground.
Aubameyang was recalled to Chelsea’s starting XI in the hope that only the narrative would see him deliver a fatal blow to Arsenal’s title hopes.
But the reality was more damning overall; the Gabon international was eliminated at half-time with Chelsea trailing by three goals and with just nine touches. Four of those came from kickoff.
We scoured the archives to find four other stars who have suffered real humiliation at the hands of their former employers.
Thomas Brolin
Forget Seth Johnson or Weston McKennie; there is a strong argument that Brolin was Leeds’ worst signing of the Premier League era.
Signed from Parma in 1995, Brolin’s latent ability on the pitch and tremendous ability to demolish a plate of potato pancakes ensured a miserable stay at Elland Road.
So Leeds fans traveling to Selhurst Park for a match against Crystal Palace in 1998 were eager to see their team overcome their chubby former striker.
After five minutes, Brolin had to go off after a collision with Bruno Ribeiro, which left him dazed and needing stitches from a head injury.
While receiving treatment, Leeds scored. Brolin, determined to upset his former team, returned to the field six minutes later, only to have his beautiful bandage peeled off his head.
Leeds fans cackled with glee and even the Soccer Saturday boys couldn’t help themselves.
Palace vs Leeds 1998. An absolutely stinking day for poor Tomas Brolin.
He’s been silenced, he’s joking and even the commentators are laughing.
Sometimes life kicks you in the prunes.pic.twitter.com/MpzHb7tBTC
— A fun old game (@sid_lambert) February 8, 2021
Charles Tevez
You’ll all remember Tevez’s move from Manchester United to their noisy neighbors in 2009 – and the proactive poster that accompanied the move – so his return to Old Trafford at the start of the 2009-10 season was a box office success.
The Argentinian scoundrel made one of City’s three equalizers that afternoon and received many pantomime boos from the home fans, but ended up on the losing side when Michael Owen scored a dramatic winner in injury time.
With a face like a thousand crushed asses, Tevez looked like his greatest wish was for the ground to swallow him. Understandably, he then focused his ire on Gary Neville…
READ: Remembering Gary Neville, Carlos Tevez and the war of the ‘slickers’.
Louis Figo
Even if Figo didn’t suffer a defeat on his return to Barcelona in November 2002, there’s nothing more humiliating than having a pig’s head thrown your way.
As Michel Salgado recalled: “In the second or third corner I turned to Luis and said: ‘Forget it, man. You are alone’.
“I used to offer Luis the possibility of taking the short corner, approaching him near the touchline, but not this time.
“From the stands rained missiles: coins, a knife, a glass bottle of whiskey. Johnny Walker, I think. Or J&B. Better to stay away. Short curves? No thank you.»
On this day in 2002, Barcelona fans threw a pig’s head at Luis Figo before he took his corner at Camp Nou 😳
Figo left Barça for Real Madrid two years earlier. pic.twitter.com/j3ZgOQ85dW
— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 23, 2021
Mark Cucurella
Aubameyang isn’t the only Chelsea player to have his tail tucked between his legs this season; he dedicates a thought to Cucurella and his punishing return to Brighton last October.
Having already had a disappointing start to life at Stamford Bridge, the left-back was won over after 64 minutes of a desperate performance in Chelsea’s 4-1 defeat at the Sussex coast.
According to Whoscored, Cucurella’s defensive output included no tackles, no interceptions, and only one pass. Damn. His career at Chelsea already seems over.
READ NEXT: 23 players who re-signed for former clubs: Alves, Henry, Pogba, Drogba…
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