UEFA Europa League

In a modest living room, a young Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and his best friend would reenact their wildest footballing fantasies, impersonating fans and commentators alike. Little did they know that those childhood dreams would one day translate into a record-breaking reality in European football’s second-tier club competition. Aubameyang’s journey to become the UEFA Europa League’s all-time top scorer with 33 goals (and counting) is a tale of perseverance, flair, and an insatiable appetite for finding the back of the net.

The UEFA Europa League returns with a tantalizing clash as Spanish side Villarreal host French giants Marseille at the Estadio el Madrigal on Thursday. The two European heavyweights are set to battle it out for a place in the competition’s next round, with the tie delicately poised after the first leg. Villarreal find themselves in a precarious position, having been thrashed 4-0 by Marseille in the reverse fixture last week. The Yellow Submarines will need to produce a monumental comeback to overturn that deficit and keep their European dreams alive this season.