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When you think of Pierre Emerick Aubameyang BVB days, you probably see a blur of neon yellow, a Spider-Man mask, and a flip that somehow never ended in a broken ankle. He wasn't just another striker passing through the Signal Iduna Park revolving door. He was the guy who filled the Robert Lewandowski-sized hole in our hearts and then proceeded to tear the Bundesliga apart with a smile that felt genuinely infectious.
But man, things got messy at the end.
Most people remember the 141 goals or the 2016-17 Golden Boot (Kicker Torjägerkanone) where he pipped Robert Lewandowski on the final day. But if you talk to the fans who stand on the Yellow Wall, the conversation eventually shifts. It shifts to the missed team meetings, the private jet trips to Milan, and that weirdly silent departure to Arsenal in 2018. It was a rollercoaster. High highs, deeply frustrating lows, and a legacy that's kinda complicated.
The €13 Million Steal from Saint-Etienne
Let’s be honest: in 2013, we weren't entirely sure what Michael Zorc had found. Aubameyang arrived from Saint-Etienne for around €13 million. At the time, he was known as a "speed merchant." Basically, a winger who could run a 30-meter sprint faster than Usain Bolt but might not have the "Dortmund DNA" for Jürgen Klopp’s heavy metal football.
Then came his debut against Augsburg.
He scored a hat-trick. Just like that. One header, one clinical finish, one rounding of the keeper. You’ve rarely seen a debut that decisive. It was the moment everyone realized that Pierre Emerick Aubameyang BVB was going to be something special. He didn't just stay on the wing; Klopp and later Thomas Tuchel realized his true calling was right through the middle, sniffing out chances that other strikers wouldn't even see.
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Why the 2016-17 Season Was Peak Auba
If you want to understand why he’s a legend despite the drama, look at the 2016-17 season. He scored 31 league goals. Read that again. In a 34-game season, hitting 31 is borderline "FIFA on Amateur difficulty" territory.
He was part of a front three that was arguably the most fun to watch in modern European football:
- Marco Reus: The creative heartbeat.
- Ousmane Dembélé: The teenager who could dribble in a phone booth.
- Aubameyang: The finisher who thrived on their chaos.
They were a nightmare for defenders. Honestly, it wasn't fair. Dembélé would whip in a low cross that looked impossible to reach, and Auba would just be there. It was instinct. He ended that season by scoring the winning penalty in the DFB-Pokal final against Frankfurt. That trophy was the culmination of everything. It felt like Dortmund was back, and Auba was the king.
The Cracks in the Relationship
Football fans love loyalty. But Auba was always a bit of a nomad. By late 2017, the vibes started to sour. It wasn't just one thing. It was a series of "disciplinary reasons" that the club had to keep explaining to the press.
He was suspended by the club multiple times. Once for an unsanctioned trip to Milan. Another time for being late to training. It was clear his head was elsewhere. Peter Stöger, who was the manager during those final months, famously said Auba "just stayed away" from an important team briefing. When your star player stops showing up for meetings, you know the end is near.
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The fans felt it too. During his final game, a banner appeared in the stands: "No player is bigger than our club." It was a cold goodbye for a man who had given them so much joy.
Pierre Emerick Aubameyang BVB Stats You Need to Know
To give you some perspective on his impact, let's look at the raw numbers. These aren't just good; they're elite.
In the Bundesliga alone, he made 144 appearances and bagged 98 goals. That’s a goal every 115 minutes or so. If you include the Champions League and the DFB-Pokal, the total hits 141 goals in 213 games.
He didn't just score "cheap" goals either. He scored in the Revierderby against Schalke. He scored against Bayern. He scored in the Santiago Bernabéu. The bigger the stage, the more he wanted to perform. He was the 2015 African Footballer of the Year specifically because of what he was doing in a Dortmund shirt.
What Most People Get Wrong About His Exit
There’s this narrative that he "betrayed" the club. It's a bit more nuanced than that. Auba actually wanted to leave in the summer of 2017. He felt his cycle was done. Dortmund, however, couldn't find a replacement and blocked the move.
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When a player like that is forced to stay against his will, performance usually drops or behavior becomes erratic. In Auba's case, it was both. By the time January 2018 rolled around, the relationship was beyond repair. The €63 million Arsenal paid was a relief for everyone involved. He even apologized on Instagram later, saying, "Maybe it was not the best way I chose, but everyone knows that Auba is crazy."
Classic Auba.
Actionable Insights for BVB Fans and Football Historians
Looking back at the Pierre Emerick Aubameyang BVB era provides a few clear lessons for how we view modern football stars:
- Appreciate the Peak: Don't let a bad exit ruin the memory of 141 goals. Players are human and often handle transitions poorly.
- The "System" Matters: Auba's success was heavily tied to the creative output of Reus and Dembélé. When you analyze a striker, always look at who's feeding them the ball.
- Discipline vs. Talent: Dortmund's struggle with Auba shows that even the most talented players become a liability when they stop respecting the team structure.
- Value of the "Scout": Finding a world-class striker for €13 million is nearly impossible today. It remains one of the best pieces of business in Bundesliga history.
If you’re ever in Dortmund, you’ll still see #17 shirts. They might be faded, and the owners might have mixed feelings, but they’ll never forget the guy who made the Westfalenstadion fly.
To really get the full picture of his impact, you should check out the 2016-17 season highlights. Watch how he interacts with the fans after his "Spider-Man" celebration. It shows a player who, for a few years at least, found a home in the craziest atmosphere in football. Even if he did leave the back door open on his way out.
Next Steps:
- Analyze the Financials: Compare Auba's €13m buy and €63m sale to other BVB strikers like Haaland or Lewandowski to see how the "Dortmund Model" evolved.
- Tactical Study: Look at Thomas Tuchel's 2015-16 tactical shifts that moved Auba from a pacey winger to a central poacher.
- Legacy Comparison: Evaluate how Robert Lewandowski's departure (free agent) compares to Aubameyang's (forced transfer) in terms of long-term fan sentiment.