'I watched the game' - Super Eagles coach Chelle hails Gabon stars after scouting Aubameyang in UCL

Super Eagles manager Eric Chelle was among the 42,766 spectators at the Estadio Jose Alvalade on Wednesday night as Portuguese champions Sporting CP faced Olympique Marseille on matchday three of the UEFA Champions League.

The Malian tactician, currently in Portugal for a short holiday, seized the opportunity to assess Gabon's standout player Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ahead of November's 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifying playoff between Nigeria and Gabon in Morocco.

With Chelle watching from the stands, the former Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona forward provided the assist for Igor Paixao's opening goal of the night.

However, two second-half strikes from Geny Catamo and Alisson Santos turned the tide, condemning Marseille to defeat.

Aubameyang was in outstanding form for Gabon throughout the qualifying campaign, netting seven goals in five matches, including a remarkable four-goal haul in the Panthers' thrilling 4-3 victory over The Gambia.

Chelle singled out four Panthers stars, notably Aubameyang, as possible threats to the Super Eagles' ambition of advancing to the playoff final.

"I am here in Portugal to see my daughter, but I watched the game Sporting against Marseille in the Champions League and Aubameyang played this game," Chelle told Segun Odegbami of Eagle7 103.7 Sports FM, Abeokuta.

"Gabon have a good team. They have some great players like Aubameyang, Lemina, and Bruno Ecuele Manga. 

"They have a good coach with a good philosophy. When the team plays, we can see they are impressive."

Chelle emphasised that while Gabon's quality is clear, his focus remains on his own squad as Nigeria aim for victory in their upcoming fixture.

"This is a final; the important thing now is to be focused on only ourselves. My job now is to analyse Gabon and to think about the game, maybe I’d like to defend all of the game or make a high press.

"I need to make a choice, and for that we need to analyse our players. The reality is that we have a lot of injuries in our team, so we need to find the best way."

Chelle also praised his backroom staff for their commitment to player analysis and match monitoring, expressing confidence in the Super Eagles ability to perform at their best despite recent setbacks.

"This is why the technical staff follow the players and watch a lot of games. We are very positive. The reality is that if the team is at 100 percent, there is no reason we cannot win this game."

The Super Eagles will face Gabon in the semifinals of the playoffs on November 13, with Aubameyang expected to return after missing the match against Burundi due to suspension.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit: fegafoot.ga

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