- Frenchman out of action once more
- Suffered another muscle complaint
- May not be seen again this season
WHAT HAPPENED? The World Cup winner was included from the off against Cremonese on Sunday – with said outing representing his first start for club or country in 390 days. Pogba lasted just 23 minutes before picking up a muscle problem that forced him from the field in tears, with another spell on the sidelines set to be taken in by a player that has seen just 10 appearances since returning to Turin from Manchester United as a free agent in the summer of 2022.
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WHAT THEY SAID: Allegri told reporters after seeing a calculated gamble on Pogba backfire: "After the match with Sevilla I had decided to play him, I wanted to test him at the start of the game when the pace is different. We needed technique for a game where we were going to play in the opponent's half of the field. It's those movements that when you kick your quadriceps can suffer. We are all sad because he was doing fairly well. He made a lot of sacrifices and now he has to come back because he felt pain in his quadriceps. Paul is a grown man, he has three children and the broad shoulders to overcome this muscle injury. When you play a game from the start after so much you increase the risk. We will wait for him."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: The one crumb of comfort for Pogba as he prepares to head back to the treatment room is that he has not damaged the knee that forced him to undergo surgery shortly after completing his return to Juventus.
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GettyWHAT NEXT? Pogba may not be seen again this season, with Juve having just three more Serie A fixtures left to take in alongside a possible shot at Europa League glory, with the 30-year-old having to focus on returning to full fitness in time for the 2023-24 campaign.