France manager Didier Deschamps and Kingsley Coman have strongly supported Paul Pogba in the wake of his recent failed drug test at Juventus.
Pogba faced a provisional suspension from the Italian anti-doping authority due to a positive test for testosterone, a hormone known for enhancing athletes’ endurance.
If proven guilty, the 30-year-old could potentially face a football ban of up to four years following this random drug test. Reports from Italy suggest that Pogba has until the end of this week to provide a counter-analysis of the test result.
Despite these serious allegations, both French national team manager Deschamps and Bayern Munich star Coman have rallied behind their compatriot, Paul Pogba.
Deschamps, who has had a working relationship with Pogba since taking charge of Les Bleus in 2012, expressed his disbelief at the notion that Pogba could be involved in such an offense.
“I can’t imagine that, knowing him, with everything that is in his head. I still remember certain discussions with him on the vaccine and Covid… The substance is there, but afterwards, unless there is a second opinion…,” he said to reporters. “I don’t think he himself knows [why] unfortunately. It’s hard for him. I have always supported him.”
Bayern winger Coman, who has played alongside the Juve midfielder for France for years, protested Pogba’s innocence and weighed in with his support.
“We all support Paul; he’s a very close friend; he’s part of the family,” he told reporters. “We don’t really know more, we’ll have to look. But we know, Paul, we know that if something happened, it was surely unconsciously and without intention. We are with him wholeheartedly.”
Pogba’s second stint at Juventus, starting in 2022 after his return from Manchester United, has been marked by a challenging period. The 2018 World Cup champion faced significant setbacks, including extensive absences due to knee and hamstring injuries.
Additionally, he revealed that he contemplated leaving the sport entirely, citing alleged extortion by an organised crime group as a distressing factor in his decision-making.