Paul Pogba is one unfortunate man. He made his first competitive start in over a year on Sunday night as Juventus beat Cremonese 2-0 but, in another devastating setback, it ended in heartbreak for the Frenchman.
The 30-year-old, who left Manchester United for a return to Turin last summer, was hoping to finally show what Serie A had been missing – after barely playing this season due to injury.
But Pogba was substituted after just 21 minutes when he pulled up. Juve assessed Pogba’s injury on Monday morning and revealed he had picked up a thigh problem.
While the club did not put a timeline on Pogba’s recovery, the midfielder is expected to be out for at least 20 days, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
It comes as a major blow to Juventus – who currently sit second in the Serie A, three points ahead of Inter Milan. They will be particularly frustrated given the price they paid to secure his services almost 12 months ago.
Pogba is believed to earn €10million (£8.5m) net per season in Turin after signing a lucrative contract as a free agent last summer.
As it stands, Juve have paid around €60,000 (£53,000) for every minute Pogba has spent on the pitch this season. That outlay has created friction within the dressing room.
It has also had serious implications on the pitch, too. Massimiliano Allegri has built his Juventus side around Pogba but his fitness woes have meant that vision has rarely come to life.
He returned to Juventus after six years away from the club last summer but injured his knee in pre-season and was forced to miss the opening weeks of the season.
Just as he was recovering from that issue, he sustained a thigh problem, and having failed to get any minutes under his belt in the first three months of the season he was left out of France’s World Cup squad in November.
Pogba finally made his first matchday squad for Juventus in late January, but his fitness remained a concern, and he did not make an appearance for the Bianconeri until February 28, over seven months after he rejoined the club.
He has since played a total of 10 games in all competitions, and registered a last-minute assist in Juventus’ 1-1 draw with Sevilla last Thursday in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final tie.
After making a positive impact off the bench in that game, Pogba was handed his first competitive start by Allegri on Sunday, but he was unable to play more than a quarter of the match before his body broke down again.
He was seen crying into his shirt and covering his face before rushing down the tunnel alongside Angel Di Maria. Despite his constant injury status, the Juve fans were sympathetic and gave the French midfielder a round of applause.
Meanwhile, Pogba’s team-mates were in a state of shock as they realised just how serious the 30-year-old’s injury was and that they would have to finish the season without him.
In Manchester he missed a hundred games in six seasons but in Turin in nine months he has played just 161 minutes.
It must be said that the most recent injury, to Pogba’s left quad, was not a result of insufficient preparation on his part or incompetence by the club’s medical staff. The problem is, if anything, the overall quality of his physical condition.
Pogba’s fitness has been an issue ever since he took some time off following his latest knee injury. He hadn’t started a game since April 19, 2022 when Manchester United faced Liverpool.
He lasted just 10 minutes before going down injured at Anfield that night. It was that moment that started the whole ordeal and it’s been never ending since – much to the displeasure of all Juventus fans.
How can the team’s highest paid player only perform for 108 minutes in Serie A? The question has become somewhat of a dilemma.
Juventus fans watched their star player return to the dressing room with tears in their eyes, wondering just how long Pogba will continue to suffer.
It was a disappointing blow for Pogba and the fans given the fact the Frenchman had trained very well and followed a specific training programme to get himself back up to speed.
He should have been able to play 70 to 90 minutes but just a few minutes of action was enough to highlight the fact Pogba is an extraordinary player that is hampered by fragile muscles and joints.
Pogba still has three years remaining on his contract, but it has been reported that Juventus are frustrated with how his season has played out and could consider selling him or terminating his contract this summer.
But reports in Italy suggest the club will support him through his treatment and are yet to make a decision on Pogba’s future beyond this season.
Whatever Pogba and Juventus decide to do this summer. Surely he cannot endure another 12 months like this one.
