Injuries, blackmail, doping haunts Paul Pogba

Paul Pogba made the headlines when he returned to Juventus in 2016 on a free transfer from Manchester United, in a repeat of the transfer that happened four years earlier.

“Paul is back in Turin. He left as a boy and returns as a man and a champion, but there is one thing that has not changed – the desire to write unforgettable pages of club history together once more. Pogba is back, and we couldn’t be happier.”

This was the statement that Juventus FC released when midfielder Paul Pogba rejoined the Italian club. No doubt, the euphoria that surrounded Pogba’s move was expected. The Old Lady had snapped up the 29-year-old from Manchester United in a free transfer after just selling him for a record fee of £91 million in 2016 to the same club. It was indeed a good business.

While growing up, Pogba was a youngster who needed a platform to express his talent. He was a footballing gold gem who was not mined until 2015, when his stellar performances fascinated football lovers as Juventus defeated Borussia Dortmund, Monaco, and Real Madrid to reach the UCL final. Pogba had cemented a starting spot in the midfield with Arturo Vidal and Andre Pirlo, and the trio was one of the world’s most fearsome midfielders.

Fast-forward to 2016, Pogba was arguably the biggest star in football, aside from Messi and Ronaldo. His record transfer spoke volumes about his superb display in the UCL final when Juventus lost to Barcelona. Juventus had to release their star to the English club when they came calling for the services of the French international.

The Old Trafford fanbase went agog in anticipation of the prince of football and his unique skills—a fusion of physique, vision, dribbling,, and a clinical eye for goals. In addition, the French star was touted to play alongside good footballers once again, such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Juan Mata, David De Gea, Antonio Valencia, and many others.

However, it turned out to be a ‘world-class disaster move.’ As it turned out, Pogba’s wonderful 2017 campaign came, went, and was forgotten too quickly. Pogba had been part of the squad that won the Community Shield, the Carabao Cup, and the Europa League Cup.

Consequently, fans demanded a lot more from Pogba, whose performances were sagging. In his last three seasons at Manchester United, Pogba was derailed by injuries on about eight different occasions and a myriad of ailments. The last match Pogba played for Manchester United was the 4-0 loss against Liverpool at Anfield.

This last campaign seemed to Pogba like a a home call beckoned – and it really did. After all, a few footballers have returned to their boyhood clubs after the land has failed to be green on the other side. However, the woes that stuck to Pogba followed him to Juventus.

In Italy, there was doubt about the quality of the players Pogba would play alongside. It turned out to be a non-issue; Pogba suffered setbacks. Pogba would break down in pre-season and eventually miss the biggest part of the season as he opted for a therapy session instead of going ‘under the knife.’ The decision turned out to have backfired; Pogba missed the World Cup he didn’t want to jeopardize.

After weeks of failed “therapy” sessions, Pogba eventually underwent surgery. When he was done, Pogba announced his return to fitness.

“The operation went very well, I’m going to recover and come back very, very quickly. I wanted to thank you all for your messages, for your support. Know that mentally I’m okay despite all the worries, the injury, and the other problems,” he vowed in a social media post.

– Blackmail claims –

Pogba has also been accused of being in corroboration with a witch doctor to bewitch fellow countryman Kylian Mbappe because he (Pogba) was jealous of him.

Mathias, Pogba’s brother, released a statement saying he ‘wants to open the eyes’ of the public on his brother.

The French, Italian, English, and Spanish public deserve to know certain things.”

“Basically, the whole world, including my brother’s fans, France, Juventus, and his sponsors, they need to have the information and take an informed decision on whether he deserves respect and love from the fans; if he deserves to play for Juventus and a place in the France World Cup squad.”

“I want to open the eyes on the so-called most powerful woman in football, who my brother calls his second mum (Pimenta). I think that what I’ll say will concern many people. I’ll say important things about Kylian Mbappe. Many elements and witnesses confirm what I’ll say. It could be explosive.”

– Failed doping tests –

Now, it’s a failed doping test for the French international. If found guilty, Pogba might not be able to play professional football any longer, as he faces a ban of up to four years.

Pogba has been provisionally suspended by the Italian anti-doping tribunal (NADO Italia), and his agent, Rafaela Pimenta, has said that they await “counter-analysis” to see if the B sample confirms the presence of the banned substance in the Frenchman’s system. “Until then, we can’t say anything. The certain thing is that Paul never wanted to break the rules, “said Pimenta.

It’s indeed a make-or-break period for Pogba. The midfielder had turned 30 this year, and we might have come to the end of Pogba’s career, which was a glistening diamond that quickly withdrew in the blanket of the sky.