‘On a human level I'm very sorry’ - Paul Pogba given strong message of support from Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri following devastating four-year ban from football

The 2018 World Cup winner tested positive for testosterone following Juventus' match against Udinese on August 20, 2023. Pogba's woes deepened when the results of his 'B' sample test also returned positive. Despite the setback, Allegri has voiced unwavering support for the embattled player.

Speaking to reporters ahead of Sunday's clash against Napoli, Allegri said: "I wrote him a message two days ago. On a human level, I'm very sorry, but also from a footballing point of view. This sport is losing an extraordinary and difficult-to-find player who I had the pleasure of coaching. On top of that, Paul is also a very good person."

In a show of solidarity, Didier Deschamps, manager of the French national team, has also stood by Pogba, asserting his belief in the player's innocence.

"I don't imagine for a single moment that Paul had the intention, the desire, to take drugs. Knowing him well, I know that this is not at all in his state of mind," Deschamps said.

"Just like the judgement announced by the Italian anti-doping tribunal on Thursday, what Paul has experienced these past months has been extremely difficult and I can't be insensitive to his pain, given what he has done with the national team and the relationships that have been formed with the France national team. His situation saddens me and I really hope that things will work out... The presence of an illegal hormone is incontestable."

Pogba and his representatives contested the allegations, presenting their case to Mr. Pierfilippo Laviani, the investigator overseeing the matter. However, they were unsuccessful in demonstrating that the 31-year-old was unaware of the substances he had ingested. This forced the National Anti-Doping Tribunal to slap a four-year ban on the player as recommended by the Anti-Doping Prosecutor’s Office.

Pogba has already announced that he would appeal against the ruling in the Court of Arbitration for Sport which indicates his determination to clear his name and restore his tarnished reputation. However, the outcome of the appeal remains uncertain, leaving Pogba's future hanging in the balance. He has a contract with Bianconeri until 2025 and it remains to be seen if the deal is terminated.