Paul Pogba can return to competition with the end of his 18-month doping ban on Tuesday, with the 2018 world champion hoping to leave behind three cataclysmic years also marked by injuries and a kidnapping case of which he was the victim.

The long penance of the French international (91 caps), one of the biggest stars in the world of football, is coming to an end and the midfielder will be able to draw a line under what seems like a slow descent into hell.

Suspended for four years after testing positive for non-endogenous testosterone metabolites (DHEA) at the end of the Juventus-Udinese match on August 20, 2023, Pogba saw his sanction reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the CAS considering that the “ingestion” of the substance “was not intentional and resulted from taking a food supplement prescribed by a doctor in Florida.”

Based in Miami, the native of Lagny-sur-Marne, east of Paris, is now ready to bounce back, his Instagram account still very popular (62.7 million followers) multiplies photos of intensive training, with a few fashion shots, another of his passions. Sign of his return, at least in the media, while waiting to be able to resume the thread of his prestigious career.

His ultimate dream remains the 2026 World Cup, but he would first have to find a club. La Pioche (32 years old on March 15), whose contract with Juventus Turin that ran until 2026 was terminated last November, “is training 1000%, he is in good spirits, he has received many offers”, assures a member of his entourage. He is also in regular contact with the coach of the Blues Didier Deschamps, “one of his advisors for sporting decisions”, according to one of his close friends.

But who could be interested in a player whose last match was on September 3, 2023 with Juve?

During one of his rare public appearances, on AmineMaTue’s Twitch channel in January, he explained that he had received ” proposals, not very interesting stuff”, such as “going to play in Russia, but that’s not the goal “.

A contract, he admitted, ” doesn’t depend on me, but on many other things.”

– Strength of character –

David Beckham’s Inter Miami could be a solution. Pogba lives in the Florida metropolis where he bought a house, he was in the stands for the Roses’ first MLS match of the season, against New York City (2-2), on February 23, and he is fine-tuning his fitness with the fitness coach of Lionel Messi, the team’s star.

Olympique de Marseille also sounded him out, and football director Medhi Benatia played with him at Juventus. But OM did not want to take the risk of signing a player whose fitness is surrounded by too many questions.

In any case, morale seems to be at its highest, with Pogba having always maintained his legendary strength of character even in the worst of storms.

“I ‘ve had a difficult year, so I have this rage, this desire to play football and enjoy it until the end of my career,” he said on Al Jazeera channel, just before his positive test.

Also badly affected by the kidnapping case of which he was the victim in 2022, he can now also try to forget this sordid episode with the end of the trial of his attackers at the end of 2024, his brother Mathias and five of his childhood friends having been sentenced to terms of up to eight years in prison.

“I can finally turn the page on this extremely difficult period. This conclusion is an opportunity for everyone to focus on the future. Now that the judgment has been delivered, I can fully concentrate on my return to professional football ,” he wrote to AFP after the verdict.

” That he can rediscover the pleasure of playing on the pitch, that’s all I wish for him because humanly he’s really a good person ,” said Didier Deschamps in 2024.

–Le360/AFP

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Ademola Lookman was again on target as Atalanta stunned Juventus in a 4-0 away win on Sunday to strengthen their grip on third place in Serie A while snapping the hosts’ five-game winning streak in the league.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s side moved to 58 points, three behind leaders Inter Milan, while Juventus remain fourth on 52.

It was Juventus’ first home defeat in Serie A by a margin of at least four goals since 1967, leaving frustrated fans at the Allianz Stadium jeering their team after a night to forget.

“This is football. You go from victories to defeats, you have to consider the whole journey, Juve were coming from a series of victories,” Gasperini told DAZN.

“It was an unimaginable result for many, but it was the perfect performance from us.”

Both teams had chances to break the deadlock early on, as Khephren Thuram shot just over the crossbar with the hosts’ clearest chance after eight minutes and Atalanta’s Davide Zappacosta fired wide a minute later.

But it was Serie A’s top scorer Mateo Retegui who opened the scoring with a clinical penalty for his 22nd league goal this season following a handball by Weston McKennie just before the half-hour mark.

Atalanta took control of proceedings and could have increased their lead before the break when Ademola Lookman’s effort hit the woodwork before home goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio pulled off a series of vital saves.

Marten de Roon pounced on a rebound off Juve defender Lloyd Kelly to fire the ball into an open net early in the second half, before Davide Zappacosta made it 3-0, scoring from close-range after a brilliant back-heel pass from Sead Kolasinac in the 66th minute.

Juventus substitute Dusan Vlahovic slipped and lost possession to Lookman, who sealed the rout, netting 13 minutes from time after his shot took a deflection off a Juventus defender before beating Di Gregorio.

“I think today we were up against a team that was eager to capitalise on our mistakes,” Juventus coach Thiago Motta said.

“We gave players like Lookman the chance to take advantage of counter attacks. After a defeat like that, we are certainly sad and disappointed. We will no longer be talking about fighting for the title.”

-Reuters

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Third-placed Atalanta cruised to a 5-0 win at lowly Empoli with Ademola Lookman scoring a brilliant double with a goal in each half on Sunday to reignite their bid for the Serie A title.

A month ago the battle for the Scudetto looked like becoming a two-horse race between Napoli and Inter Milan but indifferent results for both sides have allowed Atalanta to narrow the gap.

Atalanta now have 54 points, three behind leaders Inter and two off Napoli with 12 rounds of matches remaining.

With Napoli suffering a surprise 2-1 loss at Como earlier on Sunday and Inter losing twice in four matches, Atalanta had the chance to keep the pressure on and dominated from the start.

The visitors broke the deadlock in the 27th minute with an own goal after Davide Zappacosta delivered a cross from the edge of the box which deflected off Empoli striker Emmanuel Gyasi and looped into the corner of the net.

Atalanta then began to dominate the match with Mateo Retegui doubling the lead six minutes later before Lookman made it 3-0 in the 43rd when he latched onto a through ball, deftly rounded goalkeeper Marco Silvestri and put the ball into the empty net.

Ten minutes after the break Lookman got his second, latching onto a through ball from Marten de Roon, evading the offside trap and firing an angled shot past the keeper after a step-over. Zappacosta completed the rout in the 74th minute.

Zappacosta was hesitant to talk about the title race.

“There’s no point right now thinking of long-term objectives. We have to take it one game at a time,” he told DAZN.

“A victory that gives us fuel and morale after a difficult last week,” he added, referring to being knocked out of the Champions League with a 3-1 defeat by Club Brugge on Tuesday.

LOOKMAN RESPONDS

Lookman’s performance showed the right response following his recent spat with coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who said the Nigeria striker was one of the worst penalty takers he had ever seen after he missed one against Brugge.

Gasperini later downplayed the comment saying he never intended to offend the 27-year-old, who also scored against the Belgian side after coming on at halftime.

Against Empoli, Lookman caused chaos for the home defence, playing a pivotal role in the build-up to Retegui’s goal, and was a stand-out performer in Atalanta’s dominant victory.

Sky Sport Italia asked if he had forgotten Gasperini’s criticism, but Lookman was reluctant to comment.

After a shrug and a glance around, he replied, “Finished?” before shifting the discussion to Atalanta’s display.

“The team won 5-0 today, we put in a good performance, everyone was at a high level and we showed quality,” he said.

The result leaves Empoli third-bottom in the standings on 21 points, two points below the safety zone.

-Reuters

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