The Gabon Football Federation president Pierre Alain Mounguengui is pleading for the availability of Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for the sink or swim 2019 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) final qualifier against Burundi in March.

The Gabon captain Aubameyang missed the last qualifying match at home to Mali which they lost 1-0, putting their bid for Egypt 2019 in jeopardy.

While Aubameyang did not turn up for the Mali tie owing to injury reasons, reports in Gabon suggested that it was a snub of national duty. This was after the Arsenal star had clashed with Fegafoot over the appointment of his father Pierre-Francois as national team co-coach without consultation.

With Gabon needing nothing short of victory in their trip to Burundi, Mounguengui is fretting over the availability of the star forward.

“Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is Gabonese just like us, and all the Gabonese take this game in their hearts,” Afrik Foot quotes Mounguengui.

“As much as we are asking if Aubameyang will be present at this match, he wants to be in Egypt and wants Gabon to qualify against Burundi.”

Gabon are third in Group C with two points behind second-placed Burundi and only a win will guarantee their place in the AFCON finals to be hosted by Egypt in June.