Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang reveals he's been in hospital with malaria

15 April 2021 22:33

Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has revealed he has spent time in hospital this week after contracting malaria on international duty.

The striker was absent from his side's matchday squad for their crucial Europa League quarter-final second leg against Slavia Prague on Thursday night, having not travelled to the Czech capital.

He had also missed the Gunners' Premier League victory over Sheffield United at the weekend through an unspecified illness, although the 31-year-old did feature in the first two games after the international break against Liverpool and in the first leg against Slavia.

Aubameyang has not looked himself of late | Julian Finney/Getty Images

Explaining his absence in a post on Instagram alongside a photo of himself in a hospital bed, Aubameyang wrote: "Unfortunately I contracted Malaria whilst being on national team duty in Gabon a few weeks ago."

The forward reassured his followers that although he has spent some time in hospital, he is on the mend, adding: "I’ve spent a few days in hospital this week but I’m already feeling much better every day, thanks to the great doctors that detected and treated the virus so quickly.

"I wasn’t really feeling myself the last couple weeks but will be back stronger than ever soon! Will be watching my boys now, huge game for us! Let‘s go and get it."