Juventus Turin coach Massimiliano Allegri has warned there will still be a need for patience with France international Paul Pogba after an injury-hit 2022-23 season where he was only able to play six league games. “Last year I said that Pogba would definitely have difficulty playing. This year, I say the opposite,” said the Juve coach after a warm-up match against the Piedmontese club’s reserve team on Wednesday evening. “Paul is in good shape, his knee is reacting well,” he continued.
“We should not expect that in twenty days he will be ready to play from the first minute of a match given what he went through last season, delayed the Italian technician, but he is so strong and sturdy that having it available for 20-25 minutes is very important”. Back last summer in Turin, where he had already played from 2012 to 2016, Pogba, 30, had a series of physical problems starting with a right knee injury in July 2022.
Unavailable until February, the 2018 world champion again had to stop for a month in March after a right thigh injury. He was injured again on May 14, this time in the left thigh, and had to end his season. The former Manchester United midfielder (2016-22) has not yet appeared in Juve’s warm-up matches this season and has skipped his club’s American tour.
Juve, 7th in the last championship after a withdrawal of ten points due to accounting fraud and deprived of European competitions this season, will play their first league match on August 20 in Udine.
