Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel will have mixed emotions when his star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang captains hosts Gabon to success at the Africa Cup of Nations. Aubameyang's Bundesliga-leading 16 goals are one reason why Gabon are rated among the contenders for the trophy at the February 5 final in Libreville. If Gabon go all the way for the first time Aubameyang would not only miss the first three Bundesliga matches after the winter break, including a home date with second-placed RB Leipzig, but also cup date on February 8 against Hertha Berlin. All that Tuchel can meanwhile hope for is that Aubameyang can be replaced well during his absence, and that he then returns healthy and with a good result for Gabon. "Nothing would be better for his self confidence if he is successful there," Tuchel said. "I am following it shaking and keeping my fingers crossed. Most of all I want him to return healthy." Former Gabon coach Gernot Rohr believes that the 27-year-old can play a major role, saying he "certainly has a big chance to become tournament top scorer." Rohr, currently in charge of not qualified Nigeria, named Aubameyang among the big stars at the tournament who would take over from former aces such as Samuel Eto'o, Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure. Aubameyang told CNN in a report published Thursday he is ready for the job as he captains his nation just as his father, Pierre Aubameyang, did at the tournament 16 years ago. "He was captain, now I'm captain, and I'm proud to lead this national team," he said. "I think it's a really important challenge. We have a good team. Why not win this trophy for the first time?" Aubameyang is the most prominent of 11 Bundesliga and second-division players who will represent their nation at the African tournament. Dortmund's arch rivals Schalke alone have three players in Gabon, Nabil Bentaleb of Algerien, and the Ghana duo of Bernard Tekpetey and Abdul Rahman Baba. Aubameyang should have a confident start into the tournament Saturday against Guinea-Bissau, with Cameroon and Burkina Faso the other group stage opponents. He was recently picked as best Bundesliga player of the first part of the season by the other players in a survey by Kicker sports magazine; and came second behind Leicester City's Algerian Riyad Mahrez in the African Footballer of the Year poll. Aubameyang, who won the continental award in 2015, looked a little out of place at the ceremony in Ajuba a week ago, sporting a red t-shirt as his luggage with a suit in it got lost. But even this mishap should not have dampened the mood of the extravagant and fashion-conscious Aubameyang. Tuchel may however have reason for concern in another aspect of the issue, as summer transfer speculation would only rise if Aubameyang plays well. Real Madrid, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly among those interested; and there was also speculation that Shanghai SIPB were ready to pay Dortmund a world record fee of 150 million euros (158 million dollars) for a move into the Chinese Super League. Dortmund insist they know nothing about such an offer but that may change if Aubameyang is successful in Gabon.
