Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made a memorable return to the Olympique de Marseille starting eleven on the final day of the Ligue 1 season, scoring a vital goal and delivering a celebration that instantly caught fire. The Gabonese striker, who had been sidelined for the previous match, chipped a delicate finish over the goalkeeper to put OM 3-0 up against Rennes, then turned to teammate Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and mimed spraying him with a fire extinguisher.
The gesture was a direct callback to the disciplinary incident that had cost Aubameyang his place in the squad for the away fixture at Le Havre a week earlier. During a training ground prank at the Commanderie, OM's facility, he had playfully doused former steeplechase athlete Bob Tahri with a real extinguisher, prompting the club to leave him out for what turned out to be a frustrating defeat.
Jean-Louis Gasset, the OM coach at the time, faced a selection dilemma heading into the Rennes clash. With European qualification hanging in the balance on the season's last matchday, he needed Aubameyang's experience and goalscoring instincts. The decision to reinstate him paid off handsomely as the forward delivered a performance that underscored his value to the team.
On the pitch, Aubameyang looked sharp from the opening whistle. He linked up well with the midfield, drifted into dangerous areas, and eventually got his reward with a trademark lobbed finish that left the Rennes goalkeeper stranded. The goal, OM's third of the afternoon, effectively sealed the three points and secured sixth place in Ligue 1, confirming a spot in next season's UEFA Europa Conference League.
The celebration itself was a mix of apology and inside joke. By aiming the imaginary extinguisher at Højbjerg, Aubameyang seemed to acknowledge the earlier misstep while simultaneously breaking the tension. Højbjerg, who had recently joined from Tottenham, immediately embraced his teammate, signalling that the dressing room had moved past the incident.
The extinguisher prank had been a rare off-field blemish in what was an otherwise productive loan spell for Aubameyang. Since arriving from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, he had been a consistent source of goals and leadership for a young OM squad. His exclusion at Le Havre was a necessary disciplinary measure, but it also highlighted how much the team relied on his output.
For OM, the win over Rennes carried significant financial and sporting implications. Missing out on Europe entirely would have been a major blow to the club's budget and prestige. Aubameyang's contribution ensured they leapfrogged several rivals to claim the final continental berth, a reward for a campaign that had often oscillated between promise and frustration.
The extinguisher celebration quickly rippled across social media, with fans and pundits drawing parallels to other memorable goal reactions in football history. It also humanised Aubameyang, portraying a player willing to poke fun at his own misjudgement while delivering on the pitch when it mattered most.
Looking ahead, the episode reinforces Aubameyang's complex but ultimately positive role at OM. While his loan was set to expire, the gesture and the goal might have left a lasting impression that could influence any future decisions regarding his career. For now, it stands as a light-hearted footnote in a season that ended on a high note.
In the end, the extinguisher became a symbol of redemption and unity. A moment of mischief, a public absence, a playful apology, and then a decisive goal — all wrapped up in one afternoon at Roazhon Park. Aubameyang had extinguished any doubts about his commitment, and OM's European flame continued to burn.
Based on reporting from L'Equipe.
