• Analysis

Can Aubameyang score another hat-trick for Barcelona this week?

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
©FC Barcelona
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The Gabonese striker scored a hat-trick in his first La Liga at the weekend ahead of a crucial Europa League match against Napoli.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang returns to action on Thursday when Barcelona take a trip to Italy to face Napoli in the Europa League.

The prize up for grabs in this second-leg knockout tie is a spot in the last-16.

Barcelona need to get on the scoresheet to cancel out Napoli’s away goal advantage from last week’s 1-1 first-leg draw at Camp Nou, and Aubameyang’s input could be critical.

The former Arsenal man bagged a hat-trick in his first La Liga start in the 4-1 win over Valencia on Sunday and is all fired-up for this week.

“We are going to give everything and, personally, I am going to continue working as I have done since I arrived,” Aubameyang told Mundo Deportivo.

“I want to win games and I want to win this Europa League, so if we want to win it, we have to win this game. Another hat-trick? I don’t know [laughs], but if we win it’s the most important thing.”

What do the bookies think?

Despite Aubameyang’s modest answer to scoring another hat-trick, the bookies favor him strongly in the goalscorer’s market.

Betfair has the 32-year-old listed as one of the three main favorites to score the first goal alongside Barcelona teammate Memphis Depay and Napoli striker Victor Osimhen at 5.00.

As for the match itself, our partners think Napoli can capitalize on home advantage to snatch a tight victory.

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