Pogba delighted ban is reduced but Juventus may break his heart
France and Juventus star Paul Pogba has released a statement following the news that his four-year suspension has been reduced to just 18 months, claiming that the ‘nightmare is over’ and that he ‘can’t wait’ to get back on the pitch with his Bianconeri teammates.
Pogba was handed a four-year suspension in August 2023, after he failed a routine doping test after a 3-0 win over Udinese in Serie A.
On Friday evening, however, it was announced that the Frenchman had won a successful appeal to the European Court of Arbitration in Lausanne, and is now eligible to return to competitive action in March 2025.
Pogba reiterated in a statement that he had no intention of breaking any anti-doping regulations and insisted that he took a supplement prescribed by a doctor.
“Finally the nightmare is over,” Pogba wrote in a statement released on Friday evening.
“Following the decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, I can look forward to the day when I can follow my dreams again.
“I always stated that I never knowingly breached World Anti-Doping Agency regulations when I took a nutritional supplement prescribed to me by a doctor, which does not affect or enhance the performance of male athletes.
“I play with integrity, and although I must accept that this is a strict liability offence, I want to place on record my thanks to the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s judges who heard my explanation.
“This has been a hugely distressing period in my life because everything I have worked so hard for has been put on hold.
‘Thank you again for all the love and support. I just cannot wait to get back on the pitch.”
But the Bianconeri could still explore options for the Frenchman’s departure in the coming months, according to the latest updates from Italy.
The former Manchester United midfielder is one of the highest earners at Juventus when on his full salary, his return could cause an unexpected financial headache for the Juventus board.
The Frenchman earns a reported €10m per season on his full contract, a similar wage packet to leading striker Dusan Vlahovic at the top of the club’s wage bill. Pogba, however, has been earning around €2,000 per month during his ban so far.
Purely from a sporting perspective, there are suggestions that it will be difficult for Pogba to work his way back into Thiago Motta’s team by the end of the current campaign.
Regardless of his fitness level by March 2025, Juventus already have €50m signing Teun Koopmeiners in the advanced midfield role, while Kenan Yildiz is arguably at his best through the middle as well. Summer signing Douglas Luiz is also capable of playing in that position.
Juve are also plenty stocked in their midfield pivot, with Manuel Locatelli, Nicolo Fagioli and Weston McKennie all putting in promising performances at the start of the 2024-25 campaign. That’s also before mentioning Khephren Thuram.
Calciomercato.com suggest that a mutual termination of Pogba’s contract could be a ‘win-win’ solution for both parties, but it remains to be seen what will happen for the Frenchman in Turin.
