Paul Pogba has stepped up his recovery from a knee injury and could make his second Juventus debut later this month, Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed.
The France international has yet to make his first appearance for Juventus since returning on a free transfer from Manchester United ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.
Pogba sustained a knee issue in pre-season and suffered another setback in October that subsequently ruled him out of the World Cup in Qatar.
Speaking on December 18, Allegri said he was still unsure exactly when Pogba would return to action, with the 29-year-old yet to start running in training at that stage.
However, Allegri provided a more positive update at Tuesday's pre-match press conference ahead of Juve's Serie A clash with Cremonese.
"He's running. The most important thing is that at the moment is that the knee isn't bothering him and it hasn't swollen," Allegri told reporters.
"If he proceeds like this, maybe within 15-20 days he will be able to be with the team, but it all depends on his evolution.
"When the pace picks up we'll see how much and if he can train with the team. If everything goes smoothly, we'll see step by step."
Juve have six matches to play before the end of January, starting with Wednesday's trip to Cremonese, who are still seeking a first league win of the season.
Leonardo Bonucci and Dusan Vlahovic are among Juve's other absentees, while Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes are doubtful and Federico Chiesa is not fully fit.
Chiesa is on the comeback from a long-term lay-off, while Di Maria and Paredes only returned to Turin on Monday following Argentina's prolonged World Cup celebrations.
Some have questioned whether the pair should have been asked to report back for duty sooner, but Allegri never considered that despite Juve's injury issues.
"No, absolutely not," he said. "We've never had any sort of emergency [with injuries]. The guys who stayed here during the World Cup have worked very well.
"We have to look between now and June 5. Getting them back a day earlier wouldn't have changed anything.
"Over there they followed a one-week programme of work and it was right that they enjoyed the week of winning the World Cup, which doesn't happen every year."
Allegri also confirmed he will make a late call on whether to select Wojciech Szczesny, but Brazil trio Danilo, Alex Sandro and Bremer are all available.
Third-place Juve enter the match with Cremonese on a six-game winning run in Serie A without conceding – their best-such run since March 2018 in Allegri's first spell in charge.
Juve, who have won 10 of their past 12 league games played after a break of more than 50 days, are 10 points adrift of leaders Napoli and still fighting on multiple fronts.
"When there are 50 days without playing, only the results will tell if we worked well, if we rested well or not," Allegri said.
"I think it will be a very good second part of the season. Napoli are the clear favourites for the championship, but there are many points to play for.
"We have the goal of getting into the top four and then going there to play in the finals of the Coppa Italia and the Europa League."
The Bianconeri have won 1-0 in each of their past three matches on the road in Serie A, against Torino, Lecce and Verona.
USA overpowers Jamaica to advance to Nations League semis with 5-2 aggregate win
The United States Men's National Team (USMNT) showcased their attacking prowess on Monday night in St. Louis, defeating Jamaica 4-2 in the second leg of their CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final. With a 1-0 victory in Kingston last Thursday, the Americans secured a comprehensive 5-2 aggregate win, eliminating the Reggae Boyz from the competition.
The home side wasted no time asserting dominance, with Christian Pulisic leading the charge. The AC Milan star opened the scoring in the 14th minute, converting a pinpoint cross from Weston McKennie. Pulisic doubled the lead in the 33rd minute, latching onto McKennie’s delivery and finishing off a well-worked team move.
Ricardo Pepi extended the advantage in the 42nd minute, turning sharply on the edge of the box before slotting home a precise shot past Jamaican goalkeeper Andre Blake. With a commanding 3-0 halftime lead, the USMNT were firmly in control, having enjoyed 70 per cent possession and limiting Jamaica to just two attempts in the opening 45 minutes.
Jamaica found a glimmer of hope early in the second half when Demarai Gray netted his first of two goals in the 54th minute. The former Leicester City attacker capitalized on poor defending to cut the deficit to 3-1.
However, the Americans responded just two minutes later, with Timothy Weah delivering a thunderous finish off a Yunus Musah cross to restore the three-goal cushion at 4-1. Gray struck again in the 68th minute, converting a rebound from Renaldo Cephas’ initial effort, but Jamaica struggled to mount a sustained comeback as the USMNT’s depth and tactical organization shone through.
Pulisic’s brace and McKennie’s two assists underlined the dominance of the Americans, who controlled possession and consistently tested Jamaica’s defense. The midfield duo of McKennie and Yunus Musah orchestrated play beautifully, while Timothy Weah and Ricardo Pepi added further dynamism in attack.
USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino utilized his substitutes effectively, bringing on Cade Cowell and Brandon Vazquez to maintain the intensity late in the game. Gianluca Busio and Brenden Aaronson also entered to secure the result, allowing the Americans to cruise into the semifinals.
For Jamaica, the defeat highlighted defensive lapses and an inability to sustain possession under pressure. Demarai Gray was the standout performer, scoring both goals for the Reggae Boyz, but the team was often on the back foot, particularly in the first half when they completed just 57 passes compared to the USMNT’s 277.
Jamaica’s head coach, Steve McLaren, will need to address these shortcomings as the team shifts focus to upcoming competitions. Despite their elimination, the Reggae Boyz showed glimpses of promise, particularly through Gray and Renaldo Cephas, who forced a save that led to Gray’s second goal.
The United States advances to the semifinals of the Nations League, aiming to defend their title with confidence after another dominant display. For Jamaica, the focus now turns to regrouping and building on the positives from their campaign.
Jonathan David names Barcelona as dream club amid Lille uncertainty
Jonathan David admits it is his dream to play for Barcelona as he prepares to enter the final six months of his Lille contract.
The Canada international is into his fifth season with the Ligue 1 side but is due to become a free agent at the end of the current campaign.
Lille have attempted to persuade David with a new deal, though he looks set to depart Stade Pierre-Mauroy in 2025 – potentially as early as January if a club is prepared to pay a transfer fee.
However, while the 24-year-old is seemingly open to a move to Barcelona, he suggested he would prefer to wait until the end of the campaign before taking the next step in his career.
"Going to a club midseason is never easy," he told The Athletic. "It's not like the beginning of a season where you have a pre-season, you get to know your team-mates, you have time to gel.
"In January, things are very hectic. It's about right now. It's tougher."
"[Barcelona] was always the team I grew up supporting. When you grow up supporting a team, it's your dream to play for them.
"Some people might say, 'Oh, he's staying at Lille, this is a downgrade, he's not getting better'. But for me, there's always opportunities to get better."
David has scored 13 goals in 19 games for Lille in all competitions this season, including goals against heavyweight sides Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus in the Champions League.
Including penalties, eight of those goals have been scored via his stronger right boot, four with his left and one with his head – an area the forward accepts he can still improve.
"Aerially, I can get better," he said. "Getting that header on target and scoring.
"I can get in good positions and win headers but the finishing touch, I'm still missing. With my back to goal, I can also get better."
David is averaging a goal every 112 minutes across all competitions this season, which compares to one every 139 minutes last season and 131 in 2022-23.
However, he still has some way to go to match the 18 goals scored in 27 league games for former club Gent in 2019-20.
"Things are good right now because I'm scoring goals," David said.
"But is this the best I've played in my life? Probably not. For me, it was my second year in Belgium. That was the season of my life."
Scotland 'never lost belief' to get Nations League lifeline, says Clarke
Steve Clarke says Scotland "never lost belief" as they secured a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Poland to give themselves a lifeline in the Nations League.
Scotland needed a win to avoid automatic relegation and finished third in Group A1. They now face a relegation play-off to defend their place in the top tier of the competition.
Scotland made a lightning-quick start in Warsaw as John McGinn, who was rewarded with a place in the starting line-up after scoring the winner against Croatia, cushioned in his 20th goal for the national team after just three minutes.
Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay both hit the woodwork as they attempted to double their lead before the break, while Craig Gordon produced some fine saves to protect their advantage.
Kamil Piatowski's stunning strike pulled Poland level just before the hour-mark, but Andy Robertson, on his 80th appearance, proved the difference, rising high to send a towering header past Lukasz Skorupski in the 93rd minute.
Robertson is the first player to score a 90th-minute winner for Scotland since McTominay against Israel in a World Cup qualifier in October 2021.
It is the first time since March-September 2023 (a run of five) that Scotland have won back-to-back internationals, and Clarke was delighted to finish the Nations League group stage on a high.
"A good way to end this Nations League campaign. You always believe. It was a very open game, a lot of chances," Clarke said.
"We always felt one more chance would come, maybe not from the source it actually came from, but it was a fantastic cross from John Souttar, who was outstanding defensively, and a great header from the captain.
"We started with three defeats, three narrow defeats, with good performances. The players didn't lose belief. I didn't lose belief in the players, and they end up taking seven points from the last three games, which gets us into the play-off.
"The more you play at this level, the better you get. The players never lost belief.
"There's been a lot of good moments over my five-and-a-half years, and this is just another step on the journey."
The draw for the Nations League play-offs will take place on Friday, with the ties to be played in March.
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