Aubameyang: Arsenal avoided repeating European errors

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s hat-trick sent Arsenal to the Europa League final and the striker was relieved his team avoided their European errors of the past.

Arsenal reached the semi-finals of the Europa League last term only to be edged out by Atletico Madrid, but they have gone one step further in 2019.

Aubameyang’s treble secured a 4-2 victory away to Valencia, with Unai Emery’s side knocking his old team out in emphatic fashion thanks to a 7-3 aggregate success.

Gabon international Aubameyang was key to Arsenal’s triumph with four goals across the two legs and he hailed their performance.

“It means a lot, we’ve learned from last season and this year we didn’t make the same mistakes, [and we are] into the final. So happy,” Aubameyang said to BT Sport.

“When you win games like this you feel very, very good. I think now it’s a final so it doesn’t matter which team [Arsenal play], we have to give everything and win it.”

3 – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the first player to score a hat-trick in Europe for Arsenal since Lucas Perez away to Basel in the Champions League in December 2016. Thumping. pic.twitter.com/sSCZN28eiC

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 9, 2019

Like his strike partner, Alexandre Lacazette struck in both legs to send Arsenal to Baku, the France forward also having netted in last year’s semi-final.

Aubameyang added: “We enjoy it a lot, we talk a lot about our relationship already and it’s a pleasure to play with him [Lacazette], with this team.”

Arsenal’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League via the Premier League are slim, with Lacazette noting their poor recent form has cost them.

“We reacted well and we knew we had to score at least one goal today,” Lacazette added to BT Sport.

“Thanks to Auba for the hat-trick, we needed a goal, so thank you.

“We want the Champions League, we play bad in the last month in [the] Premier League so we have to be better.

“We go to the final and have to go to win to go to the Champions League.”