Juventus boss Allegri has not seen Pogba since midfield star's extortion claims

By Sports Desk August 30, 2022

Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri says he has not seen Paul Pogba since allegations of an extortion plot targeting the France international came to light.

Pogba returned to Turin in July following six frustrating years at Manchester United, having originally left Juventus to head back to Old Trafford, where he started his career.

The early stages of the World Cup winner's second Juventus spell have been blighted first by a knee injury and now by claims of an attempt to extort money from him.

Pogba's lawyers have alleged he has been targeted by an organised gang. ESPN reported the matter is being investigated by French police, with threats received by Pogba said to be serious.

Speaking ahead of his team welcoming Spezia for a Serie A game on Wednesday, Allegri said he has not caught up with the Frenchman, having stayed away from him during his injury recovery.

"I haven't seen him because Injured players work train at different times," Allegri said on Tuesday, when asked about the midfielder.

He explained: "At the moment Paul Pogba isn't available, if everything goes well, from next week he'll start running again, he is a very important player for us."

Allegri confirmed Angel Di Maria would return to the fold for the Spezia game after an adductor injury, but declined to say whether the Argentine playmaker would start.

"I haven't decided on the line-up yet," Allegri said. "Angel Di Maria [is] available, [but] tomorrow, I will decide on the formation. The match will be a difficult and important one. Spezia are doing good things in the league and they are a team that scores goals."

Related items

  • Germany 7-0 Bosnia-Herzegovina: Nagelsmann's side thump visitors to confirm top spot Germany 7-0 Bosnia-Herzegovina: Nagelsmann's side thump visitors to confirm top spot

    Germany posted a commanding 7-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in their penultimate fixture in Freiburg to secure top spot in Group A3 of the Nations League. 

    Florian Wirtz and Tim Kleindienst scored two goals each while Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz and Leroy Sane were also on the scoresheet as the Germans posted their fourth win and maintained a five-point lead over the Netherlands in second place. 

    Julian Nagelsmann's side made a blistering start as Musiala headed home with just 78 seconds on the clock. 

    Borussia Monchengladbach striker Kleindienst then opened his account for Germany as Robert Andrich's effort deflected off him on its way into the goal in the 23rd minute. 

    Havertz ensured the hosts went into the interval with a three-goal lead, while Wirtz added two more, including a superb free-kick, before the clock struck the hour mark, effectively ending Bosnia's hopes of a comeback.

    Sane joined the party in the 66th minute with Germany's sixth before Kleindienst sealed the victory with his second of the night, a close-range finish, 11 minutes later.

    The hosts will wrap up their group stage campaign with a trip to Budapest to face Hungary on Tuesday, while Bosnia, sitting bottom with one point, will host group runners-up Netherlands. 

  • Netherlands 4-0 Hungary: Hosts cruise into Nations League quarter-finals Netherlands 4-0 Hungary: Hosts cruise into Nations League quarter-finals

    The Netherlands booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Nations League with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Hungary on Saturday.

    Two first-half penalties had put the hosts in control before Denzel Dumfries and Teun Koopmeiners secured second place in Group A3 at the Johan Cruijff ArenA.

    A medical emergency on the Hungary bench saw the game suspended after eight minutes, but play resumed with a Netherlands penalty after a Tamas Nikitscher handball, and Wout Weghorst confidently converted.

    Cody Gakpo then doubled their lead from the spot in first-half stoppage time when Zsolt Nagy tripped Donyell Malen in the box, and Denes Dibusz was sent the wrong way once more.

    Weghorst whipped a delightful, long-range curler against the crossbar shortly after the restart, but Dumfries would get their third in the 64th minute with a drilled finish across goal into the far-bottom corner.

    Koopmeiners rounded off the scoring late on, meeting Dumfries' inch-perfect cross to power a header past Dibusz and in at the far post, and was denied a second moments later by the post.

    Data Debrief: Oranje march on

    The Netherlands knew they needed to avoid defeat to make it to the last eight in the Nations League, but Ronald Koeman's side were not going to settle.

    They were on the attack from the very start, registering 22 shots as they created 2.92 expected goals. 

    Dumfries was at the heart of both goals after half-time, and he became the second player in history to score each of his first nine international goals for the Netherlands in the second half, after Pierre van Hooijdonk (also nine).

  • 'We will bounce back', says Taylor after losing WSL top spot 'We will bounce back', says Taylor after losing WSL top spot

    Manchester City manager Gareth Taylor vowed his side will bounce back after they relinquished the lead in the Women's Super League with a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea. 

    Mayra Ramirez and Guro Reiten both scored in the space of four minutes late in the second half as defending champions Chelsea condemned City to their first league defeat and leapfrogged them to the summit. 

    Sonia Bompastor's side now have a two-point lead at the top and a game in hand over City, but Taylor was confident his side will continue fighting the Blues for the WSL title. 

    "We've always done really well on the occasions we have lost, and we don't lose often. It's a tight challenge," Taylor told Sky Sports after the match. 

    "We are coming to a team that has done well over the years. We will bounce back for certain. The league is never won in November.

    "Football is about getting kicked, and it's how you get back up. We are right up there."

    The game looked to be heading for a draw for the most part before Ramirez and Reiten struck in the 75th and 79th minutes respectively, as Chelsea ended the game with an xG of 0.85, compared to City's 0.56. 

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.