Dortmund drop Aubameyang again for disciplinary reasons

Berlin, Jan 14, 2018 (AFP) - Borussia Dortmund dropped star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on Sunday for a disciplinary breach -- the third time they have done so in two seasons.

The 28-year-old, who has hit 13 goals in 15 league games this season, was left out of the squad for Sunday's Bundesliga match at home to Wolfsburg, the club said on their Twitter account, for "disciplinary reasons".

According to club sources, the matter is not in relation to an Instagram post Aubameyang made on Sunday when he accused a German journalist of racism.

This is the second time this season Aubameyang has been dropped by the club for a breach of discipline.

He was left out in November for an unauthorised video shoot at the club's training ground and after turning up late for training.

And last season he was dropped for flying to Milan to visit family just before a Champions League match.

The timing of Aubameyang's latest suspension is especially unfortunate after Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke defended the striker in an interview with daily newspaper Die Welt.

Aubameyang was the subject of negative headlines in the German media last week for checking his father and brother into the team hotel during a winter training camp in Spain, criticism which Watzke felt was unjustified.

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BORUSSIA DORTMUND