Aubameyang boasts better Barcelona start than Messi, Suarez & Villa

Suraj Radia

• Updated: 14 Apr 2022 09:07 BST
• 3 min read

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has found his scoring boots for Barcelona and the in-form forward’s blistering goal record has proven better than the likes of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

The January signing from Arsenal was seen as an expensive gamble due to his rapid decline with the English side and the salary he commanded, thought to be around £300,000 a week.

However, the Gabonese striker’s goal against Levante last week took his total tally to ten goals for his new side after just 14 games.

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Aubameyang is amongst the fastest to reach double digits in Barcelona’s history and highlights a huge turnaround for the 32-year-old after the dismal end to his Arsenal career.

The feat is made even more impressive due to Aubameyang failing to score in his first three games, meaning all his goals have come in the last 11 games.

How does Aubameyang’s start compare Barcelona stars over the years?

Aubameyang’s return is the fourth-quickest of any player in Barca’s history, with Ronaldo and Romario achieving it in just nine games and Laszlo Kubala taking 13 matches.

Messi took 38 games to reach double digits, however the Argentine started his career at the club and was featuring in the first team since the age of 17.

Luis Suarez netted just under 200 goals for the Catalans but took 24 games to reach ten goals, while Spain’s record scorer David Villa needed just 18 games.

The prolific start to Aubameyang’s career makes grim viewing for Arsenal and their manager Mikel Arteta, with the Gunners having only scored 13 goals in 14 games this calendar year.

Aubameyang had not played a game in two months prior to joining Barcelona and had scored just four times in the Premier League this season.

Having signed a bumper contract extension at the Emirates in September 2020, the ex-Dortmund forward suffered injury and discipline problems prompting a fallout with Arteta.

Aubameyang was stripped of his captaincy and the club agreed to waive any transfer fee to get his wages off the books, prompting Barcelona to sign him on an 18-month contract.