It’s the never-ending downfall of Paul Pogba.
“Juventus Football Club announces today that Pogba has been granted a preliminary suspension by the International Anti-Doping Agency. The club will continue to explore the next steps.”
European soccer transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano also reported on Wednesday that “Juventus midfielder Pogba has been given a preliminary suspension by the World Anti-Doping Agency following a positive test.”
Pogba was once considered the best midfielder in the world. He was considered to have all the necessary skills for a midfielder, and his star power added to his value. He’s a big guy, over six feet tall, but he still has fluid movement, great speed, and excellent soccer intelligence. His athleticism allowed him to excel on both sides of the ball.
He”s had a colorful career. He grew up at Manchester United and made his senior debut in the 2011-12 season. He was a standout at the time, but he wanted more playing time and moved to Juventus ahead of the 2012-13 season.
It was a brilliant move. Pogba quickly established himself at Juventus. In his first year, he made his presence felt in 27 league appearances and established himself as a regular in the 2013-14 season. Seven goals and 11 assists in the league alone. Suddenly, Pogba was a player the world was watching.
He went on to become one of the best midfielders in the world. With Juventus, he won the league, Coppa Italia, and Supercoppa Italiana, as well as finishing runner-up in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) in 2014-15. His performances earned him a spot in the 2015 FIFA Best 11, and he returned to United in 2016-17 for more than $100 billion.
Much was expected of United. They hoped Pogba would save the club from a downward spiral under Sir Alex Ferguson, but they were wrong. Pogba’s career tally at United was 39 goals and 51 assists in 233 games. Despite his stats, he had little impact on the field. His frequent injuries meant that he rarely played towards the end of his career, and he also caused headaches for the club’s hierarchy when it came to re-signing him.
Eventually, he left the club ahead of the 2022-23 season. The new manager, Eric ten Hagg, vowed to “rebuild” the team and let go of both underachievers and veterans. In the process, Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic, and Edinson Cavani were among those to leave the club.
He then headed to his “home team,” Juventus. Juventus and Pogba had fond memories of each other and welcomed the move. Pogba also wanted to put his difficult time at United behind him and rebound in Italy. It seemed like a win-win situation. Juventus were delighted to have Pogba back, and he was equally happy.
However, he was completely forgotten by the team. He didn’t play at all due to multiple injuries. His tally for the 2022-23 season was one assist in 10 games, including cup competitions. It was an embarrassing situation for the Bianconeri, who were paying him a huge weekly wage, even if he was a free agent. Locally, there were even reports that Juventus were considering terminating Pogba’s contract.
The reaction is understandable. Juventus may have felt cheated. They didn’t pay a transfer fee, but his weekly wages were substantial.
Fortunately, Pogba realized the error of his ways. “Pogba’s agent, Raffaella Pimenta, said his client was sorry for ruining his first season at Juventus,” according to the British publication The Express. 안전놀이터
“Pogba is sorry for his season at Juventus,” Pimenta said, according to the outlet. It was his dream to return and he was very happy to be back. Unfortunately, the season did not go according to his plans. But Pogba’s physical capabilities are coming back little by little. The situation is positive.”
However, things didn’t go as well as he had hoped. This season, his position has completely diminished. Once again this season, Pogba baffled his club and fans when he was injured before the start of the season. He made his comeback in the second leg and then again in the third leg, setting a record for consecutive appearances. However, in both games, he was a substitute and his impact was minimal.
This sparked transfer speculation. The Saudis, who have been attracting a number of European players in recent years, approached Pogba. According to Italian publication Di Marzio, “Al-Ittihad have offered Pogba a three-year, $100 million deal to sign him,” according to the publication. The presence of Pogba’s international teammates Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante at Al Ittihad would have been a positive influence, but Pogba stayed in Europe.
He stayed with Juventus, but recently, he was once again in trouble with the club due to a positive doping test. His career has also been hampered. According to the Italian publication Gazzetta, the testosterone in the doping result is classified as a substance that athletes are not allowed to take. This raised the possibility that Pogba could be suspended for up to four years.