Peter Stoger 'Reluctant' to Use Aubameyang Transfer Saga as Excuse for Late BVB Draw

Borussia Dortmund manager Peter Stöger has said that the uncertainty surrounding the future of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang isn't going to be used as an excuse following Die Schwarzgelben's late comeback against SC Freiburg.

A low drive from Jeremy Toljan in added time helped spare Dortmund's blushes after a brace from Nils Petersen put Christian Streich's travelling Freiburg into a shock lead.

The game also saw the first start for Aubameyang in the Rückrunde and the Gabonese striker, who was starved of service throughout the match, wasn't welcomed back to the Westfalenstadion kindly.

"I'd say [Aubameyang] has had better games," Stöger said after the game, as quoted by the Borussia Dortmund website. "In the end, he was one of a larger group of players who did not deliver their optimal level of performance.

"I am reluctant to use [Aubameyang's future] as an argument. Within the team and our training sessions, I do not get the feeling the mood is negative. 

"I could make it easier for myself and say that we have now drawn three games in a row because there is something else going on that is not overly pleasant. But I would not like to reduce it to that - certainly not for today's game."