The opening of the novena jornada brings a practical problem for Deportivo de La Coruña: how do you replace Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang when the team has already leaned on him for so much? The answer, at least for now, is that they cannot. Aubameyang will miss Deportivo vs Levante as he continues to recover from surgery on the partial tear in the external meniscus of his right knee that he suffered against Real Betis on September 20.
That absence matters because Aubameyang was not a peripheral figure. Before the injury, the Deportivo forward had produced five goals and two assists, seven direct goal contributions in total, and he had quickly become one of the club's main attacking players in its return to Primera División. For a team that began the season with good feelings, losing that kind of output changes the conversation immediately. It is not just about replacing a scorer. It is about replacing a player who had been central to the way Deportivo attacked.
When can Aubameyang return?
The timeline remains cautious, and that is sensible. The verified return window points to five to six weeks, with late October 2026 to early November 2026 as the likely range. The source also notes that the injury required surgery, which means Deportivo's coaching staff must avoid rushing him back. At 37 years old, Aubameyang's recovery needs to be managed carefully, especially if the club wants him available for the long stretch rather than just the next match.
That is the balance Deportivo now has to strike. On one hand, the team wants its best attacking players on the pitch as soon as possible. On the other, speeding up a return after surgery would carry obvious risk. The better play is patience, even if it leaves Deportivo lighter up front against Levante and perhaps for a few more weeks after that.
In that sense, this is bigger than one missed league fixture. Deportivo are trying to build momentum in LaLiga 2026/27, and Aubameyang has been part of the reason the opening weeks felt promising. Without him, the club will have to prove that its attack can still function while one of its most productive pieces remains out of action.
