Former Gunner scores Champions League brace against Newcastle

Former Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang helped Marseille come from behind to beat Newcastle United on Tuesday night, scoring a brace to keep up his strong start to the season.

MARSEILLE, FRANCE: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang reacts with teammate Timothy Weah of Olympique de Marseille after the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD5 match between Olympique de Marseille and Newcastle United FC at Stade de Marseille on November 25, 2025. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images) — Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

Former Gunner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had the opportunity to help out his old club Arsenal on Tuesday, playing for Marseille against Newcastle United.

A Newcastle win could have taken the team above Arsenal in the table, albeit with the Gunners having a game in hand. And it initially looked as though they might achieve that win after Harvey Barnes gave them an early lead.

But Aubameyang was a constant threat pushing to get Marseille back into the game, with the best three chances of the first half falling his way. Though he missed two and saw another saved, there were more opportunities to come after the break.

MARSEILLE, FRANCE: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Olympique de Marseille scores his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD5 match between Olympique de Marseille and Newcastle United FC at Stade de Marseille on November 25, 2025. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images) — Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

In the 46th minute, Aubameyang rounded Nick Pope before firing in an equaliser from a very tight angle. The striker struck again four minutes later, poking in at the near post for 2-1 and his 16th goal contribution in 16 matches in 2025/26.

That’s how the game ended, and Aubameyang was clearly pleased when speaking to the media afterwards.

“I’m very happy,” Aubameyang admitted. “I’m happy to be here in this club, to enjoy moments like this, like tonight. It was a great game. We started a bit sloppy, I will say, but then I think we reacted well. It was important to win tonight.

“Hopefully a lot (more goals to come). I’m feeling great, even if I’m 36. When you live these kind of games, of course you want to play more and score more.”

Marseille's French-Gabonese forward #10 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the French L1 football match between FC Lorient and Olympique Marseille (OM) at the Stade du Moustoir in Lorient, western France, on December 10, 2023. (Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images) — Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images

Thanks to Marseille’s win and Manchester City’s defeat to Bayer Leverkusen, Arsenal will go into Wednesday’s game against Bayern Munich with the chance to go five points clear of City, and six clear of Newcastle.

That would be great news for the Gunners, with their Premier League rivals forced to focus more on their remaining European matches than Mikel Arteta’s side would likely have to.

But it’s not going to be an easy game on Wednesday, up against the current Champions League leaders. Arsenal will have to be at their best to get those three points.