Barcelona boss Xavi has aimed a dig at Mikel Arteta over the fall-out the Arsenal boss had with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during the striker’s final months at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gabon international was stripped of the Gunners’ captaincy and frozen out by Arteta due to what was described as disciplinary issues, with his last appearance coming in the defeat to Everton on December 6.
Aubameyang was handed an escape route out of Arsenal by Xavi and Barcelona, with Arsenal agreeing to mutually terminate his contract to ensure he could move on a free transfer.
Having appeared twice off the bench in La Liga, Aubameyang is now set to make his first start for his new club in their Europa League knockout stage first leg clash against Napoli.
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The 32-year-old will lead the line alongside former Manchester City star Ferran Torres at the Nou Camp.
He will be hoping to score his first goal since arriving at Barcelona and ahead of the game, Xavi took the opportunity to praise the striker.
In hailing Aubameyang for his performances in training, the Barca boss appeared to aim a dig at Arteta over the intensity of his training sessions.
Xavi also dismissed Arteta’s previous claims that Aubameyang was a problem player, by labelling him as being “very professional”.
“He is training very well, he needed stronger sessions. He is already one hundred per cent and we will see him play for sure,” Xavi said in his press conference ahead of the Napoli game.
“He’s a player who can make a difference, he works well in spaces and makes good runs into the area.
“He’s put in performances in recent years that have been very good. I’m very happy with him, he’s working positively in our group, and he’s very professional.”
Aubameyang has previously claimed that Arteta was his ‘only problem’ at Arsenal, which led to the breakdown in relations.
Those were claims that Arteta recently hit back at, insisting that he was the solution to the fall-out between himself and his then-club captain.
“That’s his opinion, that’s what he said and you have to respect that,” Arteta said last week.
“I’m extremely grateful for what Auba has done and his contribution. The way I see myself in that relationship is the solution, not the problem.
"I've been the solution, 100 per cent. I can look in the eye of anybody. The intention all the time is the best and not for me, it's for the club and the team.
"It ended up the best possible way for everyone I think. This is part of football. You have to make a decision that the best thing to do was let him move on and now he plays for Barcelona.”
Heading into Thursday’s clash with Napoli, Aubameyang had played 57 minutes for Barca, coming on as a substitute in the win over Atletico Madrid and the draw with Espanyol.
And it appears that for now at least, the striker has a much better relationship with his new boss than he had with Arteta.
