The prediction Nicolas Pepe made about Giroud and Aubameyang before FA Cup final
A new video has emerged which shows just how confident Nicolas Pepe was of securing victory heading into Arsenal’s FA Cup final against Chelsea.
Chelsea dominated the early stages at an empty Wembley on Saturday evening and took the lead in through Christian Pulisic, who continued his remarkable run of form to score his fifth goal in all competitions since the season restarted.
But it was Pulisic’s former Borussia Dortmund team-mate, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who stole the headlines as he fired home from the penalty spot to level midway through the first half before beating Willy Caballero with an exquisite dinked finish in the 67th minute.
The Gunners held on to their advantage against a 10-man Chelsea side following Mateo Kovacic’s sending off to get their hands on the trophy for a record 14th time and strengthen their status as the most successful team in the history of the competition.
Arsenal forward Pepe had one of his better games for Arsenal since arriving from Lille last summer and looked to have scored a sublime equaliser in the first half before it became clear Aubameyang was in an offside position in the build-up to the strike.
And while the Ivorian has had a mixed debut campaign in England, he was never in any doubt that he would be on the winning team at Wembley.
In a short video taken on Snapchat prior to the match, Pepe vowed to get the better of Chelsea and made a promise that the final would be about him and Aubameyang rather than ex-Arsenal striker Giroud.
‘Tomorrow we qualify for the Europa League,’ he said.
‘I don’t want to hear about Chelsea, Olivier Giroud – tomorrow, it’s Aubameyang. Pepe.’
Much of the talk following Saturday night’s showpiece surrounded the future of Arsenal’s talisman, Aubameyang, with the Gabon international out of contract in less than 12 months’ time.
‘I am really not thinking about this now I really just want to enjoy with the guys and take the trophy now,’ Aubameyang told BT Sport shortly after the final whistle.
‘I think everyone gave their best for the team today, we deserved it.
‘The journey has been long, great evening, I will enjoy all night for sure, I had this inspiration.’
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta urged Aubameyang to stay on at the club and become a legend alongside the likes of Thierry Henry and Ian Wright.
Asked about the striker’s winning goal, Arteta said: ‘It’s the most difficult thing in football, that’s for sure, and he makes it simple – look at the second goal he scored.
‘We always had incredible strikers at this football club and Auba deserves to be named and compared with the big names.
‘By winning trophies he will be closer to that and the longer he stays there as well.
‘Hopefully we can have him for more time.’
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