Another terrible piece of news: Juventus received yet another heartbreaking piece of news as the head coach and star player confirmed it with tears in their eyes.
Another awful piece of news: The head coach and star player of Juventus confirmed the news with tears in their eyes, leaving them with even more painful news.
Paul Pogba, a brilliant player for Juventus, has been banned for four years after failing a drug test. This means that one of the most talented players in the world will soon have to say goodbye to his glorious but short-lived career.
To be sure, there were always questions over Pogba’s temperament, but his brilliance was undeniable. Quite the opposite: Manchester United signed him under dubious circumstances when he was still just 16 years old because they could see it from his experience in the Le Havre youth academy.
Naturally, he would also depart Old Trafford with a shadow hanging over him, as the manager at the time, Sir Alex Ferguson, was incensed about Mino Raiola’s part in his client’s decision to use his contract as a means of extending it before moving on to Juventus in 2012.
Given that Pogba made a name for himself as one of the world’s top midfielders during his time in Turin, the Scot’s indignation was understandable. Consequently, he made a big splash when he decided to return to Manchester in 2016.
Four years after leaving United on a free transfer under controversial circumstances, Pogba returns to the Red Devils in a much-heralded manner, paying a then-record £89 million. “This is the right club for me to achieve everything I hope to,” admits the midfield player.
In a 2-0 victory over Southampton, Pogba makes his debut for United, but in his early games, he draws criticism for what is seen as a lack of defensive discipline.
After Pogba scores twice for United in a 4-1 thumping of Leicester City and a brace against Fenerbahce in the Europa League, manager Jose Mourinho takes aim at the “Einsteins” in the media, who had been quick to write off the new signing. “His skill as a player is well known,” the Portuguese remarks. “We know he needs some time to show his potential.”
Despite losing 2-1 on the night, United defeated Hull City 3-2 on aggregate thanks to Pogba’s second-half goal at the MKM Stadium, setting up a League Cup final meeting. On February 26, Mourinho’s team would go on to win the title at Wembley after defeating Southampton 3-2. Pogba played the full 90 minutes in that match.
With a hamstring injury that will keep him out of action for less than three weeks, Pogba is forced to leave United’s Europa League match against Rostov. He will miss five games overall for both club and country. Mourinho points the finger at England’s crowded schedule.
In only his second match since the passing of his father, Fassou Antoine, Paul Pogba scores United’s first goal in nine years as they defeat Ajax 2-0 in the Europa League final with a deflected drive. “We feel incredibly proud,” Pogba exclaims. Right now, nobody can speak. Even though we have three medals, including the Community Shield, they say we have had a poor season.”
With two goals in his first two Premier League games, Pogba’s season is off to a great start. However, just 19 minutes into Basel’s Champions League group stage, he hobbles off. Further scans indicate an additional, more severe hamstring issue. Over the next two months, Pogba will miss a total of 16 games due to injury.
On November 18, Pogba makes a spectacular comeback to play, leading Newcastle to a 4-1 victory and netting one goal. But as the season goes on, he keeps getting flak for his shoddy positioning and careless defensive play, and it soon becomes apparent that Mourinho is starting to lose faith in the star addition as well. Pogba played no part in United’s 2-1 victory over Liverpool on March 10 and was limited to 30 minutes of bench time as Sevilla eliminated United from the Champions League three days later.
At the beginning of the Premier League season, Pogba was named United’s interim captain in lieu of Antonio Valencia. But in September, amid rumors that the manager is dissatisfied with Pogba’s attitude, Mourinho tells the midfielder that he will never captain the team again. In an interview with Sky Sports, Mourinho states unequivocally that there has been “no problem at all, no fallout at all, just a decision that I don’t have to explain.”
Pogba receives just 15 minutes of playing time against Arsenal before being benched for matches against Fulham and Liverpool following claims that Mourinho dubbed the France international a “virus” during a heated altercation in the dressing room following a 2-2 draw with Southampton on December 1. But United loses that match 3-1, and Mourinho is fired after just two days in charge.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is swiftly named United’s interim manager and quickly puts Pogba back in the starting lineup. After Mourinho left, Pogba had perhaps the finest run of his Manchester United career, scoring eight goals in his following nine Premier League appearances.
The purple patch, nevertheless, is transient. Pogba’s form plummets at the end of the season’s business. As a result, even though he is having the best season of his career statistically—his 16 goals and 11 assists helped him earn a spot in the PFA Team of the Year—he is heckled by supporters when a free-falling United ends a trophy-less campaign with a 2-0 loss to Cardiff at home.
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