Juventus Boss Max Allegri Heartbroken After Paul Pogba Ban

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba faces a lengthy four-year spell on the sidelines after being found guilty of breaching doping rules. Tests showed elevated levels of testosterone in his system, but no one expected such a Draconian punishment, least of all Bianconeri boss Massimiliano Allegri.

Recurring injury problems have plagued Pogba’s career at Juventus since his return from Manchester United in 2022. When he was on the verge of returning to the fold, lightning struck out of the blue, with the Frenchman receiving a four-year ban from football on Thursday. 

Pogba’s suspension left Allegri heartbroken. Speaking to the press in the build-up to Sunday’s blockbuster Serie A showdown between Juventus and Napoli, the experienced coach expressed his sadness about losing the 2018 World Cup winner.

“It’s very sad both on a human level and for football,” the Juventus boss said, as quoted by Mail Sport. “We are losing an extraordinary player. I was lucky enough to work with him, coach him, and it’s very difficult to find players like him… he’s a fantastic guy.“

The 30-year-old’s nightmare started after the Turin giants’ day-one clash against Udinese. After testing positive for testosterone, Pogba had to stay on the sidelines in September with provisional suspension. The Juventus ace and his lawyers snubbed a plea deal, hoping for a lighter sentence. 

However, the prosecution refused to play along, throwing the playmaker’s football career into doubt. These are uncertain days for Pogba, whose time at Juventus is now in jeopardy.